Inscape Alumnae Magazine - Fall 2020

News from Mother McAuley High School

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Macs in Medicine

The Journey from White Gowns to White Coats

Dr. Aimee Brasher ‘97, now and then

table of contents n Feature Story:

Macs in Medicine: The Journey from White Gowns to White Coats

Carey Temple Harrington ‘86 Vice President of Institutional Advancement charrington@mothermcauley.org

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n Alumnae News & Events

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n Advancement Updates

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n School News

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Jennifer Ligda Busk ‘93 Director of Marketing & Communications jbusk@mothermcauley.org Peggy Evans Rourke ‘76 Director of Alumnae Relations and Development prourke@mothermcauley.org Maura Moran Vaughan ‘07 Assistant Director of Alumnae Relations mvaughan@mothermcauley.org

Inscape is a publication of Mother McAuley Liberal Arts High School.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Alumnae Relations, Mother McAuley High School, 3737 W. 99th Street, Chicago, IL 60655 alumnae@mothermcauley.org Copyright 2020 Mother McAuley Liberal Arts High School.

Reproduction in whole or part is prohibited without written permission.

Design and layout by Karen Culloden Hoey ‘84 Printing by Accurate Printing

President’s Letter Dear Friends, It goes without saying that we are living in times unlike any we could have imagined. These significant challenges facing our world and our country have given me an even greater appreciation for my McAuley family. Our community has been extraordinary, from our administrative team and teachers, led by Principal Eileen O’Reilly, who have willingly embraced new methods of teaching; to our students adapting to learning in reimagined classrooms -- both at home and in school; to our alumnae using their gifts and their voice to give rise to important work and causes including promoting healthy living, caring for the sick, and promoting social justice. As we continue to face the challenges of our world today, this gives me great hope.

Now more than ever our world needs women with strong voices who commit to change for the good. We recognize that to continue to educate young women of strength and vision, we must take pause, listen, and acknowledge the discord within our nation. As our mission states, we must “respond compassionately to the needs of our community.” Everything in our history has prepared us for this moment. We have the tools, and they are sharpened. We have the skills, and they are honed. But our work is not done. Our young women look to us to lead with open minds, guided by empathy and respect. In the tradition of Catherine McAuley, we must work to propel forward our McAuley community with our actions.

We, at McAuley, resolve to be active participants in social justice discussions. We are committed to addressing racism and becoming a catalyst for anti-racism through our McAuley women. We continue to be the strong voice to advocate for positive changes as we address the critical concerns of the Sisters of Mercy: Earth; Immigration; Nonviolence; Racism and Women.

We are grateful for the support of our alumnae and supporters as we strive to implement change that is ongoing and far-reaching. Bold and thoughtful actions will strengthen our community and ensure our young women graduate with the critical skills needed to thrive in a complex world.

They will graduate grounded in Mercy values that help them to solve problems with reflection and compassion. They will be the changemakers in their communities and careers.

Thank you for your ongoing support of all we do and your belief in the immeasurable value that comes with a McAuley education.

In Mercy,

Mary Acker Klingenberger ‘75 President mklingenberger@mothermcauley.org 3

Feature...Macs in Medicine

Macs in Medicine The Journey from White Gowns to White Coats

We take great pride in all our Mighty Mac physicians and encourage you to visit our website at mothermcauley. org/alumnae where you can find a larger directory of physician alumnae. Please note that the information listed is what has been provided to our alumnae office.

We invite you to help keep our records current and submit your contact information and update to alumnae@ mothermcauley.org.

Women in medicine and science often face unique challenges. The path to accomplishing and advancing their career may involve balancing personal and professional obligations while dispelling long held cultural norms.

It’s hard to believe that there was a time when women were simply discouraged from entering the medical field!

Many specialties were simply seen as unfit for women because of demanding hours that could infringe upon traditional familial expectations.

The world of medicine has evolved and is a very different place than decades ago. Today, nearly half of medical and biological sciences doctoral students in the U.S. are female, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges. Fifty years ago, the percentage of M.D. graduates who were women hovered around just 10 percent. Each year, women are achieving new milestones of representation in the medical field, strengthening the pipeline of female physicians.

We are proud to feature just a few of the many stories of McAuley women who have found fulfillment and success through their work as physicians. They are driven and determined and their accomplishments prove that it is impossible to stop a Mac on a mission. How reminiscent of Catherine McAuley! Leadership, drive, education -- finding their niche and using it to make a difference -- is what distinguishes these McAuley women, whether it’s sharing their skills and expertise, or taking a seat at the table with key decision-makers. Their stories speak to the essence of a McAuley education and what makes our school and the community of women who call it their own so distinctive.

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Claudia Johnson, ’68, M.D. From Hyde Park to Shelbyville and Many Places in Between As we spoke on the phone a few weeks ago, Dr. Claudia Johnson ’68, a practicing gastroenterologist-internist, described herself as a Renaissance woman. By the time the encounter ended, I had realized she was right.

“I could never ignore the fact that I was a minority student at McAuley,” said Claudia. “But my main concern was making sure that I got through the classes because I wanted to become a doctor.”

Medicine became her first love at an early age as she suffered numerous serious allergies and spent hours in emergency rooms and doctors’ offices. “I had serious bouts with hives and swelling that even interfered with my breathing --- a medical emergency. This drove me to have a strong desire to help people --- to make them feel better just like I did when I left the emergency room.”

When she entered McAuley in the fall of 1964, her focus was stronger than ever. McAuley offered the perfect springboard.

“I remained academically focused. My parents did not want me looking at boys, so they thought that McAuley was a perfect fit.”

They were rarely wrong.

While at McAuley, Claudia did not participate in many extracurriculars.

“I knew that I had a specific job to complete, and I perceived high school as the first of many necessary steps. Socially, I judged people by the way they treated me. I did not have the time to focus on preconceived notions that there could ever be problems.

Anyone was a friend who treated me as a friend.”

Dr. Johnson never forgets how the home background and parental inspiration provided the perfect foundation for getting the most out of her high school education.

Claude Mandel Johnson, her father, never had formal education beyond the third grade. However, he wanted her to seize every opportunity to excel in life. “He quizzed me and helped me with homework in high school and even in college. He would pull all-nighters with me sitting at the dining room table, making sure that I had mastered the content.”

Years later, Claudia went on to build and name her medical facility in tribute to her father: Claude Mandel Medical Center.

In the summer before freshman year at McAuley, he pushed her into taking a typing class.

“I really didn’t want to do that, but it did have definite benefits for a freshman. When I entered the beginner typing classes, I could already type 60 words a minute. I had to slow down to ‘keep up’ with the rest of the class. Mrs. McCabe was the teacher. I’ll never forget how impressed she was!”

“But altogether, typing taught me to think through my fingers and not necessarily through my voice. Today, given how important technology is in medicine, it’s wonderful to talk to a patient and write their history without ever losing eye-contact or communication.”

“My mother was also a driving force in my life, and she was my official driver.”

Mrs. Johnson drove Claudia to and from McAuley every day without fail for four years.

Marguerite Johnson stepped into action when the McAuley art teacher challenged the students to learn about architectural history and style. “My mother drove me around the entire city, and we would look at the tops of buildings, and she would have me draw them. I was never much of an artist, but my mother insisted and stated, ‘All my children can draw, and you can too.’ So, we got an A for the assignment.”

Still, freshman year did not go by without presenting challenges.

“I remember having a hard time in a Latin class. But I did not want to switch to an alternate language because I believed that Latin was needed for medical school. That never proved to be true.”

By all standards, McAuley provided precisely what she needed.

“I received rigorous training at McAuley because of its standard of excellence. It prepared me for the good, the bad, and the ugly.”

When she arrived for college at Loyola University, Claudia was surprised by how some of her friends did not realize the course-

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work rigor and did not successfully obtain their degrees. “Although I was well prepared for the course work, I still had some things to learn.”

She vividly recalled her first biology course at Loyola. She aced the first test. But the response that followed, while it could be perceived as well-intentioned by some, drove home the overarching societal prejudice that Claudia could not ignore.

“I got the highest score on the test, and the teacher called me out, saying, ‘Well, if she got the highest score, then you [classmates] certainly can do it.

What happened to you? Why did she get the highest score?’”

“I was more than aware that the comment was directed at all my nonminority male classmates. Even if well-intended, the comment would not be socially acceptable today.”

Stories like this were not unusual, she continued. Claudia often encountered various counselors who tried to steer her away from medicine.

“But I knew what I wanted to do and what type of strength I had to have to get there. One of them even went so far as to say that I would never become a doctor. At that point, I stopped listening to counselors and never turned back.”

“Oh, I saw a lot of strange things, but the patients were so wonderful and always grateful. Some of them were farmers.

Many of them showered me with homemade gifts and homegrown produce.”

Someone even offered her a miniature horse as a “thank you.”

“No matter where I have practiced, it’s the patients that inspire me. They go through so much and sometimes have so little. They are grateful for every minute of life. I can never complain. Knowing that I can help, even if it is only holding the hand of someone dying despite all medical efforts, it truly is a privilege.”

For a few years, Claudia served as a civilian gastroenterology consultant at Scott’s Air Force Base in Belleville, Illinois.

While the work was engaging, the somewhat nomadic lifestyle was not. Claudia decided it was time to put down roots and took a job in the ER at Bethany Methodist Hospital (now called Methodist Hospital).

Following graduation from Loyola, Claudia entered The Chicago Medical School. Her internship and residency in internal medicine were completed at Cook County (now John Stroger) Hospital. Immediately after, she went on to complete a gastroenterology fellowship at The University of Illinois.

“I am a sponge for information, and that has aided me in all that I do. If I see something and think that I can be in

After completing both doctorate and post doctorate training, Claudia had not figured where and how to start the business of medicine. She began moonlighting at various emergency rooms in Chicagoland and throughout the entire state of Illinois. Time spent as a locum tenens physician, which allowed her to travel and practice medicine in rural areas, places where she had previously never been exposed. It was baptism by fire when she arrived in Shelbyville. One of her first cases was to remove a fishhook from a child’s arm.

love with it, I give it a try.”

“I had never been fishing. I didn’t even know what a fishhook looked like!”

With the guidance of a colleague, she tackled (pun intended)

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the removal. Another case involved a man who, while laughing in a silo, had the misfortune of having a bat fly directly into his open mouth, scrape the back of his throat, and then fly out.

“It was close to the west side medical district. I was there a short time before I moved on to South Chicago Community Hospital (now Advocate Trinity Hospital).” She remains on the hospital’s staff to this day.

Shortly after the inception of her practice over 30 years ago, Claudia began “Perfect Balance Nutrition” programs where she specializes in non-surgical methods of weight loss, including placement of intragastric balloons. This complete program includes dietitians, psychologists, and exercise trainers. Along with this team, she directed several nutrition grants in Chicago Public schools and focused on adolescent nutrition. She gained notoriety for her work and was featured on NBC Channel 5 News and other outlets.

In 2012 she founded Future-Doc Enterprise. The program focuses on training and preparing international medical graduates for

their practical exams and successful careers as physicians.

“I am a sponge for information, and that has aided me in all that I do. If I see something and think that I can be in love with it, I give it a try.”

Recently Claudia added another new procedure to her practice.

“I’m doing something called anorectal manometry,” said Claudia as she excitedly explained that this procedure is done to detect abnormalities in muscle tone and function that could possibly contribute to constipation or diarrhea.

I also learned that the doctor has a history of being a principal investigator for gastroenterology trials, (particularly, peptic ulcer disease, constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, colon cancer and esophageal reflux disorders) and internal medicine clinical trials and she is still active in this arena.

Notably, she is the only minority female physician on the southside of Chicago with a more than 20-year history of conducting highly-regulated clinical trials from her own practice.

Definitely not one to remain complacent, instead of slowing down business activities due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Claudia saw an opportunity to treat a broader patient base.

“Virtual medicine lends itself to discovering new and varied cases.

I am seeing a lot of major anxiety disorders during this time. The bottom line is people just want to feel better.”

Speaking with Dr. J (as some of her patients for over 30 years call her), one can quickly tell that she is driven not only by the joy of learning but also by her compassion and love of communicating with people.

“I enjoy living by the motto I coined for my practice [Claude Mandel Medical Center], ‘where health and caring go hand-inhand.’”

As the interview progressed, it became quite clear why Claudia is a Renaissance woman. The analogy applies to her life.

“Even though I have specialties in medicine, I don’t like to pigeonhole myself into any one area. I have an unquenchable thirst for learning” At the age of 45, Claudia decided to pursue another passion of hers and enrolled in Columbia College of Chicago. While actively practicing medicine, she earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism. Again, it points back to the liberal arts education and

Renaissance mindset, which comprises the McAuley education’s backbone.

Claudia’s interest in journalism, including investigative journalism, led to numerous outlets, including the Chicago Defender, where she was the medical columnist for six years. For one Chicago Tribune feature story, she dared to go undercover into the office of a naturopath, posing as a patient wanting a colonic, which is not a validated procedure in the practice of medicine. She assured me that she did not get the colonic. She has also written feature stories for magazines and interviewed celebrities about their health issues, including the late Cardinal Francis George.

“Every day is different. The recipe for not getting burnt out is to expand your horizons and keep your heart in the right place. I’m having too much fun to quit.”

“I have an appreciation for many cultures, music, science - these areas broaden my perspective for writing and being compassionate towards others. I think that journalism has helped me peel back any physician-patient barriers, put patients more at ease, and then I can really talk to them. Often the reward is making a quicker diagnosis. But the real gift is the relationship and the trust.”

Claudia is continually growing, expanding her gastroenterology – internal medicine practice to include new procedures and treatment plans.

Claudia believes that the well-rounded liberal arts education at McAuley has given her an attitude for success and diverse thinking. Today the doctor divides her clinical hours between Claude Mandel Medical Center’s two locations – the primary site on Chicago’s southeast side and a branch located at CSO Multiplex Medical Center in Hyde Park and, of course, virtual medicine, along with several community hospitals and Chicagoland surgery centers.

While some of her contemporaries have retired, Claudia isn’t ready to slow down. She looks forward to doing more creative writing and helping more patients. She is currently writing medical articles for an online magazine, and she has even written a few screenplays.

No matter what direction she heads next, this she knows for sure: “With a McAuley education, nothing will stop you. That education was priceless.”

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Feature...Macs in Medicine

Diane M. Twickler, ‘72, M.D., FACR A Mac Deep in the Heart of Texas “My skills were quite limited in typing class, and I remember Sr. Mary Marguerite, who taught the class, telling me ‘it’s OK not to be good at typing’…that I was ‘a smart young lady’ and that ‘I should strive to be more than just a secretary.’ I think about that statement a lot because she was among the many teachers at McAuley to instill in us the confidence that we could do more.”

Such serendipitous words for Dr. Diane M. Twickler ’72 who says “just so you know, I still can’t type! But I do encourage everyone to be proficient in their typing skills.”

Diane has enjoyed a successful career in medicine. At the University of Texas (UT) Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, she is a tenured professor of Radiology, and Obstetrics and Gynecology, and holder of the Dr. Fred Bonte Professorship in Radiology. She serves the Department of Radiology as vice-chair at large, after several roles in residency education.

Diane, like many physicians in an academic environment, focuses her efforts in three areas: patient care, research and education. Her clinical interests include fetal and gynecologic imaging with ultrasound (US) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and imaging of maternal complications of pregnancy. Her work throughout the years has significantly impacted improvements in patient care.

“Confidence is something all women must learn and for me, it did not come easy (some now might find that hard to believe). Similar to many women growing up in the ’60s and ’70s, I followed notions of the prescribed roles for women, which were limited.”

Looking back now, however, she admits that the road to her current career was not always clear.

Diane attended the University of Illinois (U of I) at Champaign-Urbana and later transferred to the University of Chicago Medical School to complete her undergraduate and clinical studies to earn a degree in occupational therapy (OT). After graduation, she worked in OT at Christ Medical Center (now Advocate Christ Hospital).

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In the years that followed, her confidence in her skills and a desire to pursue medicine began to flourish.

“Somewhere, somehow we learned that we’re not the center of the universe; our life becomes about what we can do for others. I think my decision to go into medicine is part of the underlying premise of that. I knew I wanted medicine but it wasn’t openly apparent that there were careers for women beyond things like nursing, OT or physical therapy. When I began working at Christ I decided that I could, and would, become a doctor.”

After long days at Christ, she drove into the city to continue her premedical courses at the U of I Chicago Medical School. Acceptances for medical school rolled in and Diane decided again on U of I. She later transferred to UT, which she says “was the best academic decision I ever made.” She completed her residency training in diagnostic radiology and received advanced training in body imaging through a fellowship at UT Southwestern.

The focus of her research is Women’s Imaging, with emphasis in obstetrical and gynecologic MRI and ultrasound. This includes fetal MR biometry and associated quantitative assessment of fetal dysmorphology, ultrasound and MRI in placentation, and imaging of ovarian and uterine diseases. Working with experts in maternal fetal medicine, magnetic resonance, statistics, and biomedical engineering, this multidisciplinary team is employing the latest technological advances, including how Artificial Intelligence (AI) aids in prenatal assessment of the fetus and placenta during pregnancy.

“AI can take images and translate them, without the human eye even viewing it, to predict abnormalities or diseases,” said Diane.

“Can you teach a machine how to find the placenta and then how to find the disease of the placenta, and then how do you apply it to clinical care? It is a cross-disciplinary approach and when we’re all in the room together trying to figure things out it can be really fun.”

Although COVID forced the cancellation of many current elective studies, Diane’s department was one of the few that forged

ahead while taking the necessary precautions for patients and staff. “We continued to do ultrasounds on our pregnant women, because you can’t cancel when the babies are due.”

ing, and writing for the Inscape newspaper. “McAuley allowed me to grow in a positive direction through the inherently stressful teenage years by providing a nurturing environment for young women to discover their strengths, learn to work as a team and emphasize the essentials of service to others.”

The other part of Diane’s job is in education. She is the former vice-chair of academic affairs and also is part of a fiveperson Strategic Planning Committee Diane, in the far right foreground, next to Gwen Carroll in Another key point of note is that Diane for Undergraduate Medical Education, their Intro to Physical Science class. is surrounded by other strong women whose focus is implementing an innovaeducated in the Mercy tradition. Besides tive curriculum for medical students at UT Southwestern. her two sisters, Carol Twickler Gadomski ‘68 and Sue Twickler Healy ‘70, her mother, Shirley McLaughlin Twickler is a graduate “Because I’m in a highly technical field, I get to take what I learn of the Saint Xavier Academy (the precursor to Mother McAuley) from radiology and imaging and apply it to education. I take full class of 1946. When Diane met her husband, George Wendel, also advantage of what I’ve learned from my colleagues and help proa physician, she learned that his mother, Mary Isabelle Collins mote educational applications of information systems.”

Wendel, also is an alumna of the Academy from the class of 1952.

Diane’s work has garnered her several teaching and mentorship awards, most recently in 2019 the Resident Mentor Award from the Department of Radiology UT Southwestern and in 2017 the Editor’s Recognition Award from the Radiological Society of North America. She also authored more than 100 publications and has written 13 book chapters emphasizing her areas of clinical expertise, as well as serving as a reviewer for multiple academic journals.

So, while Texas is her home now, a few characteristics remain inherent to her Chicago and McAuley roots, including her Chicago accent. When a colleague pointed out to Diane that she never lost her Chicago dialect, Diane’s response was, “thank goodness!”

Aimee Brasher ‘97, M.D. Setting a Course for Success

Looking back at her time at McAuley, Diane is reflective about the significance of the all-female environment and how collaboration and leadership were nurtured.

As a member of the McAuley varsity volleyball team, playing the position of setter, Dr. Aimee Brasher ’97 learned early how to juggle her academics with athletics -- a recipe that truly set her up for success.

“The notion of women helping other women is extremely strong at McAuley, encouraging a sense of oneness and sisterhood. There is a feeling of security among the teachers and peers that enables you to do things -- it’s just so powerful. Sr. Mary Christian was the epitome of a caring, involved, and delightful teacher. I remember my first day of freshman year, introduction to physical science class, and new friend and lab partner, Gwen Carroll ‘72, whose friendship along with many others continued for decades.”

“You learn how to manage your time efficiently and that carries you through life, in everything you do -that, you learn at McAuley and it never leaves you.”

As a graduate of St. Cajetan, Diane rode the bus to McAuley, catching it at 113th and Western, then transferred at 103rd, all along building friendships with many other neighborhood student commuters from St. John Fisher, St. Barnabas and elsewhere.

Academically, Diane enjoyed her math and science classes at McAuley and earned good grades, which earned her recognition as a National Merit Scholar. Her time at McAuley outside the classroom was spent playing intramurals like flag football, tutor-

Aimee setting in volleyball.

That belief earned Aimee the top academic spot in her class – she was named the class of 1997 valedictorian – and serves her well in her role as a pediatric orthopedic surgeon.

Since 2013 she has worked at the Central DuPage location of the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago.

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Aimee’s love for volleyball carried into her college career, where she played for the Illinois Institute of Technology. There, she earned a degree in chemical engineering with a minor in biomedical engineering. It was during her sophomore year that she learned of a new program with Rush Medical College that would allow Aimee to transition directly into medical school upon her college graduation. Maintaining a strong grade point average and completion of a research project was required.

“McAuley offered challenging courses and I took enough Advanced Placement classes to wipe out a semester of college, but I opted for the full four years in order to remain on track to graduate to the Rush program,” said Aimee.

After finishing her general surgery and orthopedic surgery residency at Rush in 2010, Aimee spent a year in California completing her fellowship at the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles.

She returned home and began working at the Illinois Bone and Joint Institute as a pediatric orthopedic surgeon. Two years later she joined the team at Lurie.

“I really enjoyed math and science during my McAuley days; those subjects came easily for me. I had the idea that a career in medicine was what I wanted to pursue, but I also knew that with a degree in chemical engineering I could find a job easily.”

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As a pediatric orthopedist, Aimee treats patients with a range of musculoskeletal issues. She sees infants with congenital deformities like club feet or hip dysplasia but also treats the usual bone breaks and other injuries and issues relating to joints, ligaments, tendons, and muscles.

Aimee, number 15, is pictured far left next to Coach Nancy Pederson.

a Level II trauma center so it’s not unusual for Aimee to be on call up to 15 times per month.

Looking back, Aimee knows that the characteristic confidence ingrained at McAuley continued to serve her well as she navigated a career field where women are still the minority.

“I absolutely believe that attending an all-girls’ school was a huge benefit,” said Aimee. “I was the only female in my residency program at Rush for three or four years. It was a very male-dominated field. It was difficult. I needed to speak up for myself and make sure I was treated fairly. (And kept the guys in line when they got out of line!) Even today I still see some prejudice and sometimes get called ‘nurse’ -- that doesn’t happen to my male colleagues.”

Some of Aimee’s fondest memories of her McAuley years are of her volleyball career. Under the guidance of Head Coach, Nancy Pedersen, the Macs won two state championships, one during Aimee’s junior year. The team competed at Illinois State University.

“A lot of good memories came from playing downstate.

Not surprisingly, Aimee’s favorite part of the job is working with kids. “They are motivated to get better, especially the younger ones. There are no mind games (until maybe they are teenagers!) It’s much harder to deal with the parents. Some are very realistic, others are not.

Some are very involved, others are not.”

“I felt like a celebrity. We had a cart ride and celebrated in all the typical McAuley ways. It was a really special moment for a high school kid.” Her senior year the Macs were state-runner up, and Aimee got to savor the experience with her sister, Katie Brasher Zwierzynski ‘99, who was a sophomore on the Mighty Mac varsity team. Aimee also played club volleyball and played in the national championship in her junior year.

Although she says there is no “typical day,” every other Friday Aimee has reserved time in the operating room (OR) although she usually finds herself in the OR at least once a week addressing an emergency. The week we spoke, Aimee had no scheduled OR time, yet she had already been in surgery several times. Three times a week she sees patients in the clinic, performing castings and tending to other ortho concerns. Central DuPage Hospital is

Being a former athlete helps Aimee relate to her patients who sometimes struggle with sports injuries. “I had my share of injuries along the way, and the experience gives my patients a little bit of perspective. I can relate to being sidelined and can say ‘this is two weeks of your life and you will survive and your team will survive.’”

Outside of her job, her family is the focus for Aimee. She and her

husband, Mario Di lorio, are parents to a three-year-old daughter, Gianna. Not missing the chance for cousin fun, Aimee makes frequent trips from her home in Wheaton (she lives surprisingly near her former volleyball rival school, Wheaton St. Francis) to the southside to spend time with her parents, her brother, sister and nieces and nephews.

As Aimee continues to thrive in her career, she offers this simple and practical advice for the next generation of Macs: “Be grateful. Work Hard. Believe in yourself. Don’t be afraid to follow your dreams.”

Alicia Thompson Lenzen ‘02, M.D. Running Down a Dream

in medicine would be a way to help people.”

Alicia’s motivation drove her to seek out opportunities that would advance her goal to attend medical school. At McAuley, she found great support through her teachers and counselors. “My medical career started at McAuley. I took all the Advanced Placement (AP) science courses, which really prepared me for the premed track, and my relationships with my AP chemistry and AP calculus teacher helped expand my thought process and navigate my pursuit of a medical degree.”

She admits that schoolwork and tests did not come easy for her.

“I was often up late into the night studying. I really had to put in the effort to reach my goals. Even the ACT and SAT were a challenge for me.”

Dr. Alicia Lenzen ’02 said she saw a lot of herself in her young patient. The 16-year old ran track and cross country, just as Alicia did at McAuley. The patient also had high ambitions for her future, just like Alicia. Unlike Alicia, however, the patient had lost the ability to walk due to an aggressive spinal cord tumor. “She reminded me of a McAuley girl,” shared Alicia.

Between her junior and senior year, Alicia attended a Pre-Med Summer Scholar Program at University of California at Los Angeles. This week-long educational program features medical guest speakers, hospital tours and activities to give students a sense of working within the field of medicine as a physician. It solidified her interest in pre-med.

In her role as a pediatric neuro-oncologist at the Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Alicia developed the radiation and chemotherapy treatment for this patient, as a member of a multidisciplinary team.

Alicia had her eyes set on Brown University, an Ivy League school, for college and medical school, a dream furthered by the confidence she gained at McAuley. Her senior year she learned she was accepted into Brown’s prestigious Program in Liberal Medical Education (PLME). It is the only combined medical program in the Ivy League, and one of only approximately 120 in the nation. PLME is extremely selective, admitting fewer than 100 applicants nationwide and internationally each year. At the time Alicia applied, they accepted only 60 students.

“I made a great connection with her, talking about high school and what colleges interested her. I could relate and it made things seem as normal as possible, under less than desirable circumstances.” It’s no wonder that as a McAuley senior Alicia was voted “Most Trusting” by her classmates during the senior award ceremony.

Today the patient is back to running and doing well, with no evidence of tumor, and even loves talking with Alicia about her new post-tumor running PRs. Encounters like that reaffirm Alicia’s passion for medicine, a love that began during her pre-teen years. She read the book, “Death Be Not Proud”, which chronicles the life of a boy who dies from a brain tumor, as told by his father. “That book laid the foundation for me. I knew I loved science and a career

“They were seeking students who were truly invested in their future,” said Alicia. As long as she maintained a strong Grade Point Average, conducted a research experiment and met the other requirements, Alicia would transition straight into Brown’s medical school program at the completion of her senior year.

Outside of class, Alicia served as president of McAuley’s National Honors Society and was a member of the Science Club, among others.

Heading off to eight years of schooling on the east coast was not

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without its worries for Alicia. She admits that it was difficult to leave the Chicago region as many of her classmates enrolled at schools closer to home, but she was even more resolute in her pursuit.

“Side effects like developmental delays and processing speeds present in some patients, so we are still working toward treatments that provide the best curative options but without the unpleasant side effects. I really take pride in assisting scientists and pharmaceutical companies to put forward treatments that will change the future of pediatric neuro-oncology.”

“I felt comfortable at Brown even though people came from all over -- some of which were prestigious boarding schools -- but I never thought about those things. I just raised my hand in class, asked questions, and continued Alicia with faculty member, Laura Snow Gawlik Her confidence was critical in helping her doing what I was taught at McAuley. And it attain her goal in a field which is still very continues until this day when I feel confident to lead in new ways male-dominated. Alicia said that although there are more women and work toward my end goal.” in pediatric oncology, gender bias still is a big issue.

Alicia returned home to Chicago to complete her pediatric residency and chief residency at Advocate Children’s Hospital (formerly Hope Children’s Hospital) in Oak Lawn. She then completed her pediatric hematology and oncology fellowship, and her pediatric neuro-oncology fellowship, at Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital. She is now in her sixth year with the hospital.

Alicia cares for children who have brain and spinal cord tumors.

Lurie sees the most patients in the state of Illinois with these types of tumors. Being hands-on with patients she says is the best part of her job. “It is a privilege to work with kids and families during a critical time. Children are resilient and have a sense of hope that adults lose. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic they show up with a smile behind their mask and a joke to share.”

“I truly don’t think I would be where I am today without my McAuley education. The singlegender environment provided me the confidence I needed to apply to my dream school, and instilled in me that I could go after what I really wanted. Even though I heard other people say ‘you may change your mind’ or ‘it could be difficult’ or ‘let’s see how things go,’ those things were never said to me at McAuley.”

Alicia also values the important work she does in the lab to help find a cure for cancer. In the last several years pediatric neurooncology has come a long way in treating and curing patients, but with those developments has come some long lasting devastations.

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“During med school rotations there are male physicians who don’t treat you the same. I also still have parents who assume that I am the nurse or don’t see me as equal to male colleagues. I am sometimes called by my first name instead of as ‘doctor’ yet I don’t witness that happening to my male counterparts.”

Despite that, she says she feels comfortable as a young female putting her hat in the ring for leadership positions or while asking questions. “Even if I’m at a table of all men who have been in the field a long time, I know that I have a voice, I can be vocal and I should go after things, even if they are brand new or scary.”

The enduring sisterhood and friendships are one of the cornerstones of a McAuley education, and one of Alicia’s best supporters is her McAuley classmate, Katherine Van Etten Kain ‘02.

The two had lockers next to one another and were cross country and track teammates. They became the best of friends and remain confidantes. “Katherine always encourages me. She’s a school psychologist and has always been a great sounding board for me.”

“I think between the encouragement from McAuley classmates like Katherine, and teachers who pushed me, I really learned to be fearless and push through and do the job I’m meant to do.”

Alicia’s career has come full circle. She and her husband, Joe, live in Beverly (next door to her parents, her earliest supporters!) and are expecting their first child in January. She has even returned to McAuley on occasion to share her story and advice with students.

What’s her best piece of advice? “Do your best, do things that you love and be willing to try something new.”

“It’s truly a privilege to do the work that I do. I feel lucky that each step of the way I have continued to love it. It started as a small idea after reading a book in grade school and has taken me great places.”

From Mac Nation to Med Nation The future is looking bright for these McAuley alumnae who are well on their way to careers in medicine. Recent advancements in McAuley’s curriculum and programs are exposing our young women to new opportunities and experiences that help direct their interests and studies as they move into college, and beyond. The following three alumnae, each at a different stage of their career studies, talk of how the lifetime advantage of their McAuley education helped shape their aspirations and set them on a course toward success in the medical field.

Mariel Galvan ‘16 Where did you attend undergrad and what was your area of study?

I attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), where I received my Bachelor of Science degree in integrative biology on a pre-medical track.

What has inspired you to pursue a career as a doctor?

When I was 16, I attended the Muscular Dystrophy Association Summer Camp with my friend Analiz Magana (MMC ‘16, UIUC 21’) as a volunteer and I was enamored by the physicians and medical staff that supported the program.

Prior to this experience, my archetype for a physician was this stoic, sterile figure who reluctantly wrote prescriptions and kept the chit-chat to a minimum. This experience helped me to realize that I could become a physician and still be silly and pursue work that aligned with my values.

What were you involved in during your time as an undergrad?

I was heavily engaged in the UIUC community, and I truly loved everything I participated in. My first year, I worked at our campus clinic as a health education intern, curating public health awareness events on campus and distributing medical supplies to students. This was also the year that I became a personal care assistant (PCA) within a student, adaptive living community named Beckwith. As a PCA, you are able to aid students with daily activities such as showering or folding clothes. It remains my most valued experience.

Entering my second year, I became a residential advisor at Timothy J. Nugent Hall and remained in this position for three years.

My third year I served as the volunteer chair for the Illinois Mannie L Jackson Academic Enrichment and Leadership Program (I-LEAP). I also was awarded a grant from the Medical Organization of Latino Advancement to create an individual research project which eventually developed into my honors thesis; analyzing the impact of imposter phenomenon (colloquially known as imposter syndrome) and social support on women of color scientists. During the spring break of 2019, I had the opportunity to co-facilitate a Civil Rights Pilgrimage spanning South Carolina to Tennessee. Having participated in this trip a year prior, I was honored to re-immerse myself within unfiltered, unapologetic Black history. The following summer, I volunteered as an intake volunteer at a clinic for uninsured and underinsured in Champaign. This provided me with my first real clinical experience.

Earning the privilege to serve as the president of the Minority Association of Pre-Medical Students my fourth year gave me the challenge I craved as a facilitator. As a Black-Latina woman, I was all too familiar with the barriers and fatigue that came with occupying space in STEM. I wanted to do whatever in my capacity to disseminate the information that I wish I had earlier to my peers.

My executive board and I hosted a free medical conference for students in which they could talk to medical school admissions deans, learn to take vitals, gain access to MCAT prep materials, and even receive stress resources from our university counseling center. In curating this event, I recalled one of my favorite books in college, South African native Trevor Noah’s autobiography “Born a Crime,” In it he says: “People love to say, ‘Give a man a fish, and he’ll eat for a day.

Teach a man to fish, and he’ll eat for a lifetime.’ What they don’t say is, ‘And it would be nice if you gave him a fishing rod.’ That’s the part of the analogy that’s missing.”

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Feature...Macs in Medicine

I learned from this piece the importance of advocacy AND accessibility. True educational equity for a minority pre-medical student, for me, meant humility guided mentorship coupled with tangible resources (skills, prep materials, physician mentors, etc.).

Elvira Alexander ‘18

The Trevor Noah allusion is a perfectly fitting segway into my study abroad experience in South Africa during the winter break of my final year. I spent three weeks in Cape Town and Johannesburg, two of which were spent volunteering in the continent’s largest children’s hospital, The Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital.

I attend the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign (U of I). I am currently majoring in interdisciplinary health sciences, on a pre-med track.

What are your plans for after undergrad?

All throughout college, I knew that I wanted to become a Peace Corps volunteer before medical school. I’ve been accepted to my first choice position: youth development volunteer in Costa Rica, departing July 2020. The pandemic did not permit this abroad opportunity but my faith has kept me grounded and optimistic.

Post-graduation, I received a summer research assistantship opportunity and simultaneously I began studying for the MCAT which I take this fall. I then plan to locate a research assistant position in the Chicago area apply for the 2021 medical admissions cycle.

Can you share a little more about your experiences and how it has inspired you to pursue physical medicine and rehabilitation?

I became interested in physical medicine and rehabilitation through discussions with my friends/residents with various physical disabilities as well as work with physicians at the Muscular Dystrophy Association Summer Camp. I would love to focus on both children and adults with different physical disabilities such as muscular dystrophy and cerebral palsy. There needs to be more advocacy for research specific to adults living with these conditions because often, my friends have encountered physicians that only work with children with disabilities or health professionals that state that they, “don’t know what to do with them.”

Do you feel like McAuley prepared you for college and beyond?

The rigor of McAuley’s STEM curriculum prepared me for the hurdles I had in store at UIUC. I still remember mnemonics from Mrs. Turnbull’s AP chemistry class and studying hours upon hours for Mrs. Swanson’s honors pre-calculus final. I can confidently say I wouldn’t have had the audacity to write a senior thesis if it were not for Ms. McCormick’s AP literature course. As mentors, they helped me develop the ability to be both resilient and tenacious - essential ingredients for a pre-medical student.

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Where do you attend school and what are you currently studying?

What has inspired you to become interested in pursuing a career in gynecology or orthopedics?

My inspiration in pursuing a career as a doctor stems from my close relationship with my gynecologist. My gynecologist is the same doctor that delivered me 20 years ago when I was born, and my visits with her are filled with advice along my the medical journey, as well as her sharing her personal experiences as an obstetrician-gynecologist (OB/GYN).

I was initially attracted to this specialization because of its emphasis on women’s health.

There was a point in my life when my gymnastics training posed dangers to my body, nutrition, and overall health, and my gynecologist served as a very important figure in helping me overcome some challenges.

She worked with me and educated me on the importance of maintaining good health as a young woman, and I gained a lot of trust, respect, and admiration in her from this. I started to do more research on women’s health specifically, and I was shocked to find how common it is for women to not receive proper care in gynecology, specifically throughout pregnancy, childbirth, and post-pregnancy.

My education at McAuley also furthered my interest in working in a female-based community. In the same way Catherine McAuley paved a way for young women to receive high-quality education, I became inspired to pursue a similar goal through the medical field. There is a beauty in the birth of a child and the journey that a mother goes through, and this is a cycle I hope to become a part of and guide mothers/parents through. For all girls and women, I hope to be a trusting and supportive figure in women’s health.

Where do you hope to attend medical school?

My hope is to get into/attend Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine.

Did your time at McAuley have an impact on your career decision?

Maggie O’Grady ‘15

My time at McAuley definitely magnified my career decision. I have been a gymnast since I was three-years-old, so for a large portion of my life, I saw myself working in the health/medical side of athletics. I took the athletic training course at McAuley my senior year, which many schools do not offer at the high school level, and this introduced me to more anatomy-based concepts that furthered my interest in the medical field and allowed me to explore the various opportunities within medicine.

Tell us about your college career and medical studies.

Do you feel like McAuley prepared you for college and beyond?

I definitely believe McAuley prepared me for college and beyond.

Many of the courses I took at McAuley made the transition to college-level classes smoother than I had anticipated. One of the classes I took my senior year in particular, developed my interest in chemistry. The pre-med track requires us to take a specific list of chemistry courses by the time of the Medical College Admissions Test. My AP chemistry teacher, Mrs. Turnbull, definitely prepared me for the rigor of these college chemistry classes.

McAuley also helped me develop into a more confident, empowered, and driven individual. During my time at McAuley, I was always encouraged to reach my goals, and I was always given the support I needed to enhance my confidence in myself. McAuley also gave me the opportunity to pursue several of my passions and interests, whether that was academic, athletic, or theatre-based -- I learned to balance my commitments to these activities and develop a stronger time management system. This has been extremely beneficial to me in college because I am able to manage my time effectively between my classes, gymnastics practice, my personal care assistant job for U of I students with disabilities, gymnastics coaching, pre-med clubs, mentoring, etc.

Is there anything else you’d like to share?

I strongly encourage every current McAuley girl to take advantage of all that McAuley has to offer. I still have many moments where I reflect back on my time at McAuley and wish that I could be back in those hallways rushing from D wing to A-wing, wearing my kilt and Doc Martens, and attending school with my McAuley family. I am extremely grateful to attribute my growth as an individual to the education and values that were presented to me at McAuley. I know all past, current, and future Mighty Macs are equipped with the assets for making a metaphoric influence in all areas of society.

I attended Saint Louis University and double majored in Spanish and biology. I am currently attending the University of Illinois College of Medicine.

Are there any clubs/organizations, volunteer work, etc. in which you’re involved through medical school?

I am on the executive board for the Family Medicine Interest Group. I have also been involved in volunteering at local food pantries.

What were you involved in during your time as an undergrad (volunteer work, clubs/organizations, etc.)?

I was a part of the pre-health club (Alpha Epsilon Delta) for four years. I was also a volunteer at the Latino Family Outreach Branch of the Crisis Nursery for 2 years. Additionally, I worked as an emergency room medical scribe and a supplemental instructor for physics each for a year.

Are you interested in specializing in a certain discipline?

If so, which discipline and why?

I am interested in specializing in family medicine. I like the variety involved in seeing patients of all ages. Additionally, I am drawn to the community aspect of family medicine. As a physician within this specialty, I will form long term relationships with my patients which will allow us to work together on their health concerns and preventative care.

What has inspired you to pursue a career as a doctor?

There are a lot of factors that influenced my decision, including my love of biology and physiology, but one of the biggest ones was the communities within which I grew up. I have a very close extended family. I have always had access to countless resources and unwavering support. McAuley strengthened my sense of community by providing additional resources and support as well as more opportunities. I chose to become a physician in order to take advantage of these experiences and use them in a way in which I could become a resource for others. I hope as a family medicine physician I’ll be able to create a community in which my patients always feel comfortable asking questions, voicing concerns and receiving care.

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Feature...Macs in Medicine

Did your time at McAuley have an impact on your career decision? If yes, how?

I felt supported as a woman to pursue a career in a STEM field during my time at McAuley. At career fairs and alumnae panels, I met McAuley graduates who were successful in these fields.

This was encouraging for a young woman because it showed me I could pursue the subjects I loved and any number of career paths.

Do you feel like McAuley prepared you for college and beyond? If yes, how?

Yes. During my time at McAuley I received a quality education and learned tools to utilize this education throughout my life and career. I became confident that I could be successful in whatever path I chose. During undergrad I was very well prepared for my courses, specifically my science courses. I credit my McAuley science teachers for helping me develop this strong foundation, specifically Mrs. Wilson who was my AP biology teacher. Additionally, I began to develop strong communication and teamwork skills at McAuley which have been valuable in many aspects of my life and are essential within the medical field.

Did your time at McAuley have an impact on your career decision? If yes, how?

My time at McAuley had a huge impact on my decision to pursue medicine. McAuley empowers young women to aim high and break through any stereotypes that may follow them. I used to think of medicine as a rigid career that required completing a long list of requirements. My time at McAuley showed me that if you are passionate about something, you can always create your own path, like choosing to major in Spanish instead of science.

There’s no perfect algorithm to becoming a physician, but my desire to serve others, cultivated by my Mercy education, was a good place to start.

Catherine Burns ‘15

Do you feel like McAuley prepared you for college and beyond? If yes, how?

Tell us where you are with your medical career.

I had the opportunity to take both AP Biology with Mrs. Wilson and AP Chemistry with Mrs. Turnbull in high school. I came into college with the fear of “weed out” premed courses, but I never had to face those fears. My freshman year of college was only building on the strong science foundation of these AP courses. The other AP courses I took, while not directly related to my major, freed up my schedule to pursue interesting courses beyond introductory prerequisites.

I am a second-year medical student at Indiana University School of Medicine (IUSM) where I was granted a four-year academic scholarship. I have a concentration in the care of Hispanic/ Latino patients. At school, I am a member of our Student Outreach Clinic Executive Board, and I love finding ways for other medical students to get involved with service. I am also finishing up my summer research project through the University of Chicago.

Where do/did you attend school and what are you currently studying?

I earned my undergraduate degree from Saint Louis University (SLU) in Spanish with a biology minor. At SLU, I also participated in the Medical Scholars Program.

What has inspired you to become interested in pursuing a career as a doctor? What has made you interested in your specific field?

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While I was in high school, I followed in my three older sisters’ footsteps and volunteered at Advocate Christ Hospital each week. During my time as a volunteer, I began to imagine a career in medicine, a field where science and healing intersect. I knew that I wanted to work in underserved communities and being the leader of a healthcare team would be a great way to do this.

While the idea of medical school was daunting, the encouragement of my family and teachers helped bolster my confidence.

One of the biggest lessons that I took into college was how to ask for help. At McAuley, Mrs. Swanson took the time to spend many lunches with me in the math center. It wasn’t until I got to college that I came to fully appreciate what her kindness taught me. I was confident enough to immediately approach professors if I was confused and did not wait for a low grade to use office hours.

Anything else you’d like to share?

One of the hardest decisions that I had to make in college was choosing to apply out to other medical schools after receiving my early acceptance from Saint Louis University. If it were not for the confidence instilled in me at McAuley, I may never have taken this leap of faith. IUSM was my only acceptance during my application cycle, so I encourage all McAuley students to believe in themselves despite the possibility of rejection. You are more than prepared!

alumnae news & events

Alumnae Events

Look for more ways to connect throughout the 2020-2021 school year!

Make sure you’re on our email list by visiting mothermcauley.org/alumnae!

This spring, summer and fall have thrown us a curveball we never expected. We were sad to cancel or postpone some of our favorite events, but we also were given the unique opportunity to explore new, creative ways to continue to engage and celebrate with our community virtually!

Gratitude “Breakfast” April 3, 2020 Gratitude for our donors knows no bounds! This year’s event was missing breakfast, but still left our donors feeling full after viewing a video of students sharing their gratitude for their support.

1970 Re-ZOOM-ion

Mother McAuley Mother’s Day Mass & Beverly Breast Cancer Walk May 10, 2020 This year, our annual Mother’s Day Mass was held virtually! Fr. Hurley livestreamed Mass from Old St. Pat’s Church downtown for our community. He also shared a special message from the corner of 96th & Longwood where we usually hold our mass before the start of the Beverly Breast Cancer Walk.

April 24, 2020 The Class of 1970 celebrated their 50th reunion in the latest fashion - a Zoom call! We’re looking forward to the day we can celebrate together safely!

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alumnae news & events

Fore the Macs Golf Raffle September 11, 2020 We are so grateful to everyone who participated in our Fore the Macs Golf Raffle this year, which raised nearly $87,000!

All proceeds will go toward Tradition of Excellence scholarships for our incoming freshman class of 2025!

A Mighty

thank you to our sponsors!

C A R I N G H E A RT S P O N S O R S

L I N K TO A L I F E T I M E A DVA N TAG E S P O N S O R S

The Biganes Anne ‘76, Katie ‘78, Sheila ‘79, Meg ‘82 and Julie ‘84 PUTTING WITH THE PRESIDENT SPONSORS MASTER SPONSORS

The Cullen Family In Loving Memory of Marjorie Cullen

In Loving Memory of Caroline Griffin ‘12 Nora Harvey ‘22 and Frances Harvey ‘24

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alumnae news & events D R I V I N G FO R C E S P O N S O R S

G O L F CO U R S E H O S T S Raffle winners listed in red.

Bill and Anne Edwards Cotter ‘73 Edgewood Valley Country Club Lisa Goelz Messaglia ‘85

C H I P -I N S P O N S O R S

Barb Hamel ‘75 Midlothian Country Club Monica Carey Ridge Country Club Michael Gurgone

Ann Acker Jane Gately ‘73 Erin McDermott ‘00 and Joe Goldrick Emelie Ilarde ‘87, MD FAAFP

In Memory of Caroline Griffin ‘12:

Ray and Deanna Lazzara

The Rohan Family, Mary Pat (Schumacher) ‘76, Mary Kate ‘03, and Clare ‘12

Chicago Highlands Club Peter Breakey

Kathy (Monahan ‘77) & Kevin Connor

T E E U P FO R S U CC E S S S P O N S O R S

Paul and Kathy Krzyminkski Napleton ‘76 Point O’ Woods Golf & Country Club Juli Schergen Pecyna ‘02

Steve and Carol Collins Napleton ‘71

Linda Jandacek ‘84 and Caitlin Jandacek ‘16

Lost Dunes Golf Club Anne McEldowney ‘06

Jim and Ellen Napleton Roche ‘68 The 19th Ward State Rep Fran Hurley ‘78, State Senator Bill Cunningham, & Alderman Matt O’Shea The Barrett Family Nancy (Padden) ‘75 and Colleen ‘02

Chicago Pipefitters Local 597 A Friend of McAuley from the Class of 1969 Barb Hamel ‘75

Saint Bede’s Boys in honor of Caroline Griffin ‘12 Saint John Fisher Mens Club Marty and Susan (Scully ‘73) Schultz The Wendt Girls Kathy Wendt Sudeikis ‘64, Loretta Wendt Jolivette ‘70, Marti Wendt Doherty ‘71 and Nancy Wendt Healy ‘72

Long Beach Country Club Mark Hajduch

Terry and Nancy Campbell Sullivan ‘66 Butterfield Country Club Anne Best ‘12

Rachel Teresi Hinsdale Golf Club Mary Ellen Carroll Clifford ‘84

S H OT FO R T H E F U T U R E S P O N S O R S DP3 Tech Charlie Altenbach Family, Brenna ‘24 John P. Daley Cook County Commissioner, 11th District

St. Cajetan Men’s Club

Megan ‘16 and Shannon ‘24

St. Cajetan’s Women’s Club

Sallie Wiechern King ‘68

Oak Lawn Village Clerk Jane M. Quinlan ‘74

State Representative Kelly Burke

The Pasters/Zogas Family

Robert Wise

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alumnae news & events

Alumnae Notes 1961 Nancy Kerrigan ‘61 published her third book of poetry, “Lucky Enough: A Journey,” in December 2019.

She shares that fellow Mighty Macs can travel with her from Chicago, to Hartford then on to Ireland and back as you read along with her. The book is available on Amazon.

1964 M i c h e l l e O’Connor Anselman ‘64 has retired after a career as a registered nurse.

1969 Joanne Walsh ‘69, a retired Connecticut health-care executive, created a new nonprofit called American Hero Novelty. Her nonprofit was created to recognize Dr. Fauci as a scientist and leader in public health. “I wanted to show gratitude to him for his ability to keep people focused and not panic,” she shared. Joanne is well-known as the longtime CEO of Visiting Nurses of South Central Connecticut in New Haven and later as CEO of Constellation Health Services in Norwalk. Walsh was also creator in 2001 of the statewide Nightingale

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SEND US YOUR UPDATES

Visit www.mothermcauley.org/alumnaeupdates to share your news! All news submitted after September 1, 2020 will be included in the next issue of Inscape.

Awards for Excellence in Nursing program, which has since developed into one of the largest nursing recognition programs in the country.

thank you to Kathy McKinney Donahue ‘75 for supporting student scholarships!

1971 Dolly Reardon ‘71 is enjoying retirement after 43 years of teaching. During that time, she spent 23 years as athletic director at Queen of Peace High School and 20 years at district 130 in Blue Island as a physical education/health teacher. Now she’s just enjoying the dream!

1974 Maddie Singler Kelly ‘74 retired on September 14 after a 30-year career with the Oak Lawn Park District, 25 of which were at the helm.

During her time as executive director, she turned an old gym at the Oak View Center into a theater, built the Stony Creek Golf Course and clubhouse, and restored land at 105th Street and Menard Avenue to Illinois Nature Preserve status, among many other accomplishments. Maddie has a bachelor’s degree in leisure studies from the University of Illinois and a master’s degree in parks and recreation administration from Michigan State University.

1975 On February 26, members of the McAuley Class of ‘75 and friends spent the evening creating masterpieces guided by Kathy Gordon Davis! This art party was offered as a silent auction item at Celebration. A MIGHTY big

1976 Karin Warden-Thomas ‘76 received her doctorate degree from Valparaiso University in May 2020.

1978 Ellyn Barry Caruso ‘78, principal of CarusoPR, earned a Platinum 2020 Hermes Creative Award for the work with the annual report for the Union League Boys & Girls Club. The boutique firm also earned a Gold and honorable mention awards. Ellyn was also recently elected to the board of directors for the Public Relations Boutiques International (PRBI), a global network of creative innovative boutique public relations owners across a range of industries.

1980 Jennifer Lim ‘80 received an R01 National Eye Institute grant (NIH grant); only 20% of research proposals from scientists nationwide receive funding. In addition, she was named the vice chair of Diversity & Inclusion at University of Illinois at Chicago Dept. of Ophthalmology, and was also appointed as the Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) Councillor for the Univ. of Illinois at Chicago Medical School. AOA is the national honorary medical school so-

alumnae news & events

ciety and one has to have been AOA as a student to be considered for the councilor position.

1981 Kathy Kastak ‘81 recently retired after a career as a human resources specialist.

1982 Kate O’Malley ‘82, founder and CEO of K.O. Strategies has been nominated for the 2020 Excellence in Advocacy Award given by Women in Government Relations. The award goes to advocates who represent their issue, cause or organization in the public policy arena. Kate was nominated for the “Excellence in a State Issue Campaign” category for her work on the 1/2 Cent for Mental Health campaign in Winnebago County, for which her firm directed strategy and communications. The campaign won by a commanding 24-point margin, 62%-38%. The referendum that passed will generate $1213 million in local funding for mental health and substance abuse services.

In addition, K.O. Strategies was awarded the Edwin J. Shaughnessy Quality of Life Award by the Publicity Club of Chicago. This award recognizes the foremost contribution to improving quality of life in our society through public relations.

1983 Kerry Berghuis McGehee ‘83 specializes in photographing all aspects of the natural world including macro and landscape photography. Her work has been published over the years, most recently in a book titled “San Francisco on Instagram”, which was published

in September 2019. In addition, she shows her work in various galleries around the Bay Area and southern California, as well as across the country, including the east coast. Her photography is also in permanent corporation and private collections throughout the country, Canada, Australia, England, Italy and Japan.

1984 Nancy O’Brien Kane ‘84 was named the head coach for the Mighty Mac water polo team.

1986 Bridget Gainer ‘86 was named one of the “50 Most Powerful Women in Chicago” in the spring issue of “Chicago Magazine”.

Vania Montero Wit ‘86 has joined Mother McAuley’s Board of Trustees.

Vania is a wellrespected attorney who earned a juris doctorate from Harvard Law School, and an undergraduate degree from N o r t hw e s te r n University. Since 2011, she has been employed with United Airlines, where she currently serves as vice president and deputy general counsel.

1987 C h r i s t i n e Staszcuk Lewandowski ‘87 is the vice president of finance over the Grocery & Snacks and Marketing Finance teams at Conagra Brands.

1994 Virginia Schumann Petrancosta ‘94, MBA, CAE was named the new executive director of the International Association for Healthcare Security and Safety, the only organization solely dedicated to professionals involved in managing and directing security and safety programs in healthcare facilities. Most recently, Virginia was director of marketing and communications at the American Society for Health Care Risk Management of the American Hospital Associations.

1995 Coleen Griffin ‘95 was named a notable woman in STEM by “Crain’s Chicago Business”. She also was promoted to director of IT business operations at Stericycle.

Sofia Hernandez ‘95 was named head of U.S. business marketing at TikTok.

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alumnae news & events

Life Experiences and a New Expedition for Lucy Bansley Riles ‘98 This holiday season, Lucy Bansley Riles ’98 will be competing on the new Amazon Prime Video series, THE PACK. Lucy and her Black Lab, Duchess are one of 12 teams (made up of dogs and their humans) competing for a chance to win $500K and $250K to an animal charity of their choice. The show is hosted by Olympic gold medalist Lindsey Vonn and her pup, Lucy. These jaw-dropping challenges take place across multiple continents and cities around the world. “Duchess and I may be the oldest female team and I may be the only mom on THE PACK,” Lucy said, “but never underestimate the inner strength of a mom and her dog. We are here to prove you CAN teach an old dog new tricks!”

Also coming out this holiday season is Lucy’s second published book, “Mom vs. Dad: The Not-So-Serious Guide to the Stuff We’re All Fighting About” which she co-wrote with her husband, Tom Riles, founder of Life of Dad. Inspired by their live comedy show and podcast, “Mom vs Dad: Whose Side Are You On?” In this book, you will find over 40 ridiculously common topics that anyone who has ever lived with someone can relate to. Lucy shares, “Tom and I hope this book will have you sharing a laugh with your spouse over ‘all the things’ we bicker about in relationships; from cargo shorts to expired spices to how to properly load the dishwasher!” Mom vs. Dad hits bookstores November 17, 2020 but you can pre-order a copy now available on Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

When Lucy isn’t writing books, traveling the world with her dog and assisting with distance learning for her 3 little ones, Lucy is working on Life of Mom, an online community for moms worldwide. Created in 2016, Lucy wanted to provide a space for moms to feel supported and celebrated in a judgement-free zone. Today, Life of Mom continues to grow with a community of over 400K followers across Facebook and other social media platforms. For more on THE PACK, Mom vs Dad and Life of Mom, follow Lucy at @LucyRiles and/or @lifeofmom

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1997 Maya Camille Broussard ‘97, owner of Chicago-based Justice of the Pies, has been giving back to the Chicago community throughout the pandemic. In partnership with Frontline Foods, she has provided food for workers on the frontlines fighting COVID-19 as well as residents of communities that have been hit hardest by the pandemic. Her hard work and compassion has been recognized by Fox 32 Chicago and Katie Couric’s Wake-Up Call.

Angela Tovar ‘97 was named chief sustainability officer in Chicago in June. In her role, she will help advance the Chicago mayor’s environmental and climate agenda. Most recently, she held the role of program manager at the Cook County Department of Environment and Sustainability, where she oversaw the creation of an environmental justice screening tool.

2000 After spending close to a decade volunteering for the Chicago-based Mercy Home for Boys and Girls as a tutor and fundraiser, Kristin Vanderbilt ‘00 recently accepted a full time position in their Direct Marketing Department.

alumnae news & events

2002

2015

Kate Van Etten ‘02, advertising director at “Crain’s Chicago Business”, was named associate publisher, effective January 1.

Sarah Dynia ‘15 has been named a Chicago White Sox Hero Beyond the Diamond this spring for her non-profit Stuffed Love. Through her organization, Sarah sews unique heart-shaped pillows that are sent to children with congenital heart conditions.

2003 Kathleen Mixan ‘03, college counselor at McAuley, was nominated for an Illinois School Counselor Association (ISCA) Professional Recognition Award. This award recognizes counselors who go above and beyond to make a difference in the profession of school counseling, the lives of students and the community at large!

2004 Lauren De La Torre ‘04 was recognized as a health care hero for being the “heart and soul” of the Advocate Christ Medical Center’s Adult Heart Surgical Unit.

2006 Stephanie Rahman ‘06 was recently promoted to director of customer engagement at C3.ai - a Silicon Valley startup owned by University of Illinois’ own Tom Siebel.

2007 Katherine Latham ‘07 was named a notable woman in STEM by “Crain’s Chicago Business”.

Colin Evans ‘09 was promoted to the new role of weekend daypart executive producer, ABC 7 Chicago Eyewitness News. Colin oversees content creation for all of the ABC 7 platforms on the weekend, working closely with the ABC 7 Eyewitness News team to identify stories, produce newscasts and post digital content. In the five years leading up to this promotion, Colin was a news producer responsible for producing part of ABC 7’s weekend morning news block.

2014 Karlie Hernandez ‘14 purchased Pizzeria Deepo, a deep-dish pizza restaurant in Beverly, in 2018. The restaurant’s success was a highlight in the “Beverly Review” in August!

Alaina Rea ‘14 is an accomplished violist, holding a Bachelor of Music degree from The Juilliard School and a Graduate Performance Diploma from the Peabody Conservatory. Most recently, she won the assistant principal viola position of the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra for their upcoming season.

Anabelen Zuniga ‘15 graduated from Knox College in the summer of 2019 with a Bachelor of Arts in studio art and minor in design. In the summers of 2018, 2019, and 2020, Anabelen partnered with the Museum of Mexican Art and the Yollocalli Youth program to paint murals in the Little Village community. This fall, she is attending DePaul University to pursue her master’s in animation.

2016 At the beginning of May, Kayla Caffey ‘16 was added to the University of Nebraska’s volleyball roster.

This spring, Kathryn McCarthy ‘16 helped St. Catherine of Alexandria live stream Mass, so members of their parish could continue to pray together.

Bailey O’Connell ‘16 was named the 2020 South Side Irish Parade Queen.

See “Hats off to the Class of 2016” on the next few pages for an update on some of the recent college grads!

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alumnae news & events

2018 Joelle Gillespie ‘18 was awarded the Bro. Andrew R. Weber, S.M., Award of Excellence for Outstanding Service and Achievement in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Dayton School of Engineering this summer.

Charley Niego ‘18 didn’t let COVID-19 keep her from working out and practicing for her next volleyball season at Notre Dame!

She was interviewed by the “Daily Southtown” and “Beverly Review” over the summer to share her preparations and hopeful attitude for the 2020-2021 season.

Lauren Plesha ‘18 was named to the Dean’s List at Saint Mary’s College for the spring 2020 semester.

2019 In March, Grace Hynes ‘19 was featured in the “Beverly Review” for her impressive basketball season for the University of Chicago.

Emma Mendez ‘19 was featured in a live webinar on April 8 hosted by the Exelon Foundation. Emma, an Exelon STEM Academy alumna, spoke about her experience attending the academy, what college has been like so far, and how the spread of COVID-19 had affected the remainder of her first year at college.

2020 Star basketball player, Jenna Badali ‘20, was interviewed by the “Beverly Review” in August as she prepares for her first season as a Flyer at Lewis University.

Hats off to the Class of 2016 We are MIGHTY proud of all our alumnae who graduated this spring! While their ceremonies might not have happened as planned, they celebrated their accomplishments this summer! We are inspired by their resilience and determination. We heard from some members of the McAuley Class of 2016 (updates below) and want to congratulate all who graduated this year!

Alejandra Alvarez ‘16 Valparaiso University Bachelors degree in both economics and political science Future plans: pursuing a Master of Science in international economics and finance at VU in the fall. After graduation in spring 2021, she plans to attend law school.

Madelynn Bolster ‘16 Saint Xavier University Bachelor of Arts in English and secondary education Recipient of the College of Arts and Sciences at Saint Xavier University’s Outstanding English Secondary Education Student Award.

Future plans: teaching high school English Mia DePatie ‘16 Bradley University Bachelor of Science in early childhood education Future plans: she accepted a job as a special education preschool teacher at Richland Elementary School.

Asia Ester ‘16 Southern Illinois University of Carbondale Bachelor of Science in health care management with a minor in long term care Future Plans: Pursuing a master’s in health care administration at SIUC in the Fall

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alumnae news & events

Maggie Hackett ‘16 (right) University of WisconsinMadison, Dean’s List

Mary Jennings ‘16 College of the Holy Cross Bachelor of Arts in chemistry

Bachelor of Arts in psychology

Minor in statistics Future plans: getting her Master of science in engineering, science, and technology

Minors in global health and gender and women’s studies

ESTEEM Entrepreneurship Program at the University of Notre Dame

Played rugby and received first-team all-conference, forward of the year for D1 USA Midwest Rugby, and was named Female Athlete of the Year by the department of recreation and well-being at UW.

Kaitlyn Johnson ‘16 Purdue School of Engineering and Technology at IUPUI

Future plans: Maggie will be going on to the UW School of Medicine and Public Health to pursue a master’s in public health, preparing to hopefully make the transition into medical school. She will also be continuing her research in neonatal hypoxia-ischemia and assisting with a new clinical study.

Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering Named an IUPUI Top 100 Student and Dean’s List Simone Johnson ‘16 University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign Bachelor of Science in marketing from the Gies School of Business

Kara Hynes ‘16, Gabrielle Marback-Pehler ‘16 University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Future plans: Simone’s future career plans are to further develop her experience in marketing and sales in the leasing and real estate industry. She also plans to further develop her own business, House of GLAM, LLC., and continue to expand its non-profit sectors to various college campuses. Learn more: https://www.bookglamsquad.com/

Graduated with degrees in theatre studies (public relations minor) and history (anthrolopogy minor) respectively Caitlin Jandacek ‘16, Claire Riemersma ’16 and Nora Halleran ‘16 (left to right) University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Graduating with degrees in finance, elementary education, and English, respectively.

Kristyna Kresic ‘16 University of Missouri Master of Arts in journalism In her four years at Mizzou, she was able to complete her undergraduate degree in three years and her master’s in one year.

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alumnae news & events

Lauren Kuras ‘16 Concordia University Chicago

Kathryn McCarthy ‘16 Marquette University

Bachelor of Arts in graphic arts

Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations, Cum Laude Minors in Advertising and Digital Media

Grace LePretre ‘16 Bradley University Bachelor of Science in nutrition and dietetics, summa cum laude Minor in entrepreneurship Erin Ludwig ‘16 University of Minnesota, Twin Cities Bachelor of Science in urban studies, minor in Spanish Studies (graduated in 2019!)

Currently Masters of Urban Planning and Policy at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Future plans: using her degree to address issues like fair housing policies, homelessness alleviation, and housing for formerly incarcerated individuals

Grace McKee ‘16 Southern Illinois University Carbondale, College of Applied Sciences and Arts Bachelor of Science in aviation management, cum laude Minors in airport management & planning, political science Over the course of undergrad, Grace has completed four internships including with the Chicago Department of Aviation, Southwest Airlines (two internships), and United Ground Express (subsidiary of United Airlines). While in school she was also promoting the aviation degree program and mentoring students as the aviation management academic associate. When not interning or in class, Grace served as the executive director of SIU for St. Jude benefiting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Future Plans: Grace has accepted a position as an airport planning consultant. She plans to return to school and pursue a Master of Science in aviation.

Isabella Mueller ‘16 University of South Carolina, summa cum laude Bachelor’s degree in public health

Breege McCarron ‘16 (left), Kerry Mahoney ‘16 Bradley University Graduating with degrees in nursing and community wellness

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(graduated December 2019)

Minor in Spanish Future plans: Isabella plans to return home to Chicago to pursue a doctorate in occupational therapy at Rush University starting this fall.

alumnae news & events

Annie Murnane ‘16 College of St. Benedict

Rebecca Rimkus ‘16 Carthage College

BSN Nursing

Bachelor of Arts in communication, summa cum laude

Future plans: Annie has accepted an RN position at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis

Faith Nolan ‘16 University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Bachelor of Science in architectural studies (Dean’s list) Future Plans: Pursuing Master of Architecture at UIUC in the fall

Tiffany Pickett ‘16 University of Illinois at Chicago Bachelor of Science in Industrial engineering Future plans: she accepted a full-time job offer in November of 2019 as a product development engineer at Navistar, and started working a week after graduation.

Minors in public relations and women’s and gender studies Named Outstanding Senior in Communication by the Communication and Digital Media Department at Carthage Future plans: she would love to work in sports media, particularly baseball! However, she is open to working anywhere in sports media or in media in general. She’s also interested in doing recruitment and admissions in higher education!

Joy Rogers ‘16 University of Dayton Bachelor of Science in early childhood education with a concentration in early intervention Bachelor of Arts in French Future plans: Her career plans include her new position as a preschool special needs teacher in Ohio. She wants to later go back to UD for her master’s and get her autism certificate, as well as continue pursuing her passion for language and global connections by traveling more. She studied abroad in Angers, France in the summer of 2019 and did research on the special education system there.

Jaclyn Prucha ‘16 University of Michigan

Meghan Rokas ‘16 Loyola University

Bachelor of Science in biopsychology, cognition, and neuroscience

Bachelor of Science in biology

Minor in biological anthropology

Future plans: Meghan will be attending school in the fall to get her master’s in data science (a combination of statistics and computer science).

Minor in statistics

Miranda Velez ‘16 University of Illinois at Chicago Bachelor of Arts in sociology, summa cum laude with college honors Future plans: pursuing master’s in the College of Education with a concentration in urban higher education at UIC in the fall.

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alumnae news & events

These Macs Came Back We are always excited to welcome our Macs back to campus!

Eileen Knightly ‘01 and Katie Siefert ‘02 helped prepare our Mock Trial Club for the 11th Annual Sixth Municipal District Mock Trial Competition at South Suburban College at the beginning of February.

Pictured are students who participated in the Mock Trial Club!

Julia Carey ‘07, process engineer for fruity confections at Mars Wrigley, visited McAuley to introduce students to the area of chemical engineering, share her personal experiences, and teach students all about confections chemistry!

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Our Mother McAuley Mothers Club invited Dr. Tammy Bobel ‘95, counseling psychologist & owner of The Center for Self Actualization in Evergreen Park, to come speak at their “March Meeting With Mom.” Dr. Bobel led an engaging conversation with mothers and daughters on how to recognize and cope with anxiety. After the presentation, mothers and daughters assembled baskets for The Boulevard Shelter and the Mercy Home for Girls!

alumnae news & events

Keeping us Strong Thank you to the alumnae and friends who offered their time and talents to provide Wellness Wednesday exercises for the McAuley community at the beginning of the pandemic!

Erin Cunnea ‘15 Zumba Classes

Terri McCabe Core Fitness + Physical Therapy

Jenny Dunne Harkins ‘92 Treadfit Lauren James ‘08 Lauren James Yoga

Jennifer Farrell Moody ‘84 Gabby Moody ‘14 Madeline Moody ‘17 Beverly Ride On

Kelly Lynch Lucio ‘04 Barre it All

Diana Proctor Pasquinelli ‘79 The Local Workout

Molly McGarry McAlinden ‘01 Carrie O’Donnell ‘02 Beverly Barre

Emily Rezetko ‘08 Nature Yoga Sanctuary Peggy Evans Rourke ‘76 Mini Mac Workout

Jenny Dunne Harkins ‘92

Macs Ltd. Spiritwear Store is online!

Wear your McAuley spirit proudly with our online selection of sweatshirts, shirts, sweatpants, infant onesies, masks and accessories.

Start shopping at

mothermcauley.org/spirit-shop

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alumnae news & events

Marriages, Births & Adoptions

s Marina Batarseh ‘10 married Elias Khodeir on November 3, 2018 at Dinolfo’s in Homer Glen, Illinois

s Anna Bogdanowicz Suwada ‘05, Jerry, and big sister Liliana welcomed baby girl Sofia Krystyna on July 22, 2019.

s Courtney QuinnBeemsterboer ‘00 and Luke welcomed Alex Joseph on February 27, 2020.

s Kerry Cassidy Norton ‘00 and Alison Cassidy Norton welcomed baby girl Laurie on April 23, 2020.

s Nat Duran ‘00 married Lizzy Appleby on March 14, 2020 s Aileen McEldowney Richard ‘03, Kent Richard, and big brother, Connor Michael, welcomed baby girl Nora Linda on August 1, 2019.

s After cancelling their April wedding due to COVID, Maureen Orawiec ‘97 married Troy Best on July 10, 2020 in Rhinelander, Wisconsin where Maureen’s grandparents honeymooned 75 years earlier.

Bianca Trocellier Castellon ‘06 and Giovany welcomed Gianni Anthony on December 24, 2016.

s Elizabeth Mizera Rodgers ‘07 and Patrick welcomed baby boy, Ryan on September 8, 2019. They are also excited to share that Ryan will be a big brother in December 2020.

s Faculty member Katie Perna and Eric, welcomed Alexandra Louise on June 10, 2020. Big sister Abby is thrilled!

s Faculty member Jennifer Novosel Callahan ‘02 and Mike, welcomed William Thomas on August 3, 2020.

Big brothers Jerry, Luke and Brendan are thrilled to have a little brother!

s Ashley Bell Borkowski ‘02 and Eric welcomed Dominic John on June 11, 2020 s Alyse Biszewski Rourke ‘06 and Mike welcomed Emilia Mae Rourke on Sepetember 1, 2020.

s Allison Smith Lambert ‘97 and Ryan welcomed Lincoln August on May 1, 2018.

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s Kathryn Adamonis Marach ‘07 and BJ welcomed Matthew Jonathon on September 14, 2019.

s Jennifer Germino ‘01 and Jenna Rooney welcomed baby girl, Charlotte Eve Rooney on August 7, 2020.

alumnae news & events

Deaths Betty Burke, December 26, 2016 Mother of Joan Burke Taff ‘76 and grandmother of Caitlin Taff ‘11 and Maggie Taff ‘13

JANUARY 2020

Nancy Heywood Skoda ‘79, July 6, 2017

Kathleen (Kathy) M. Walsh ‘63, January 16, 2020 Sister of Margaret (Meg) Walsh Sisko ‘67 and Maureen (Moe) Walsh ‘70

Arthur Zervos, February 21, 2018 Son of Pamela Isherwood Zervos ‘79

MARCH 2020

Mary Myers, November 1, 2018 Daughter of Nancy Myers ‘75 and niece of Kathryn Myers ‘76

Geraldine (“Jeri”) Shanahan ‘60, March 11, 2020 Sister of Mary Shanahan Fosse ‘67 and Kathryn Shanahan Gentile ‘69

Joan Kolton, February 24, 2019 Grandmother of Kelly Kolton ‘01 Stephanie Tomlin ‘95, March 1, 2019 Sister of Ann Tomlin Holder ‘96 Kimberly Cajka-Schmit ‘94, April 6, 2019 Mother of Abigail Schmit ‘24 Rita Kennedy Shields ‘71 Sister of Kathleen Kennedy Samson ‘67, Peggy Kennedy ‘70 and Mary Kennedy Weimar ‘72 Helen Higgins Roe ‘64, June 19, 2019 Sister of Mary Celeste Higgins ‘61 and Patty Higgins Crowley ‘74 Albert Majdanowski, retired CFD, December 13, 2019 Father of Janette Lockwood Majdanowski ‘85 and Kimberlee Majdanowski ‘90 Tom Carey, December 17, 2019 Brother of Helen Carey Ehret ‘49; Brotherin-law of Joan Wallace Carey ‘63; uncle of Denise Reynolds Carey ‘81; great uncle of Trisha Carey ‘05 and Julia Carey ‘07

Joseph Augustine, March 18, 2020 Father of JoEllyn Augustine Paolicchi ‘93 and Jacqueline Augustine Adducci ‘96 Trish Ryan ‘89, March 23, 2020 Mother of Shannon Ryan ‘15, sister of Jeanne Ryan Hendrix ‘90 and Katie Ryan ‘95

APRIL 2020 Elizabeth “Betty” Russell, April 5, 2020 Mother of Mary Russell McNamara ‘69, Carol Russell Jegerski ‘70, Jean Russell Walsh ‘72, Dr. Patricia Russell ‘74 and grandmother of Katherine McNamara ‘99 Joseph Guinane, April 27, 2020 Father of Maureen Guinane O’Malley ‘90, Meghan Guinane McGarry ‘01 and Colleen Guinane ‘03; father-in-law of Annie Jilek Guinane ‘93 and Annie Grochocinski Guinane ‘06; grandfather of Ellen Guinane ‘21 and Beth Guinane ‘23

MAY 2020 Catherine Rose Wall, May 1, 2020 Mother of Janeen Wall Schmaedeke ‘62, Mary Kay Wall ‘75 and Father Jack Wall, a Celebration Honoree 2015; grandmother of Kara Barnes ‘92

Marianne Claussen, May 2, 2020 Sister of Nancy Claussen Carroll ‘73, Kathleen Claussen Collins ‘74, Sue Claussen Hogan ‘75, Tricia Claussen DiBennardi ‘77 and Joan Claussen ‘83; aunt of Kathleen Hogan Hohenadel ‘03 and Abby Hogan ‘12 Helen Craven, May 4, 2020 Grandmother of Victoria Craven ‘12 Todd Gillerlain, May 7, 2020 Brother of Terri Gillerlain ‘88 Michael P. Carroll, May 7, 2020 Brother of Kelly Carroll Sweeney ‘86 and Pattie Carroll McIntosh ‘87; uncle of Maeve Sweeney ‘14 Patricia Martin, May 10, 2020 Sister of Sister Rosemary Connelly, RSM; aunt of Patricia McDermott Connelly ‘84 and Jeanne Flanagan Connelly ‘88; great aunt of Bridget Connelly ‘18, Erin Connelly ‘20 and Colleen Connelly ‘21 Margaret Clarke Rooney ‘80, May 17, 2020 Sister of Maura Clarke Saas ‘87; sister-inlaw of Ellen Rooney Martin ‘82 and the late Jean Prendergast Rooney ‘88; aunt of Catherine Saas ‘19, Colleen Rooney ‘21 and Elizabeth Saas ‘23 Mary O’Toole, May 17, 2020 Mother-in-law of McAuley marketing and communications director, Jennifer Ligda Busk ‘93 Jean Regan ‘64, May 20, 2020 Sister of Betty Regan Cairo ‘66 Betty Ann Collins, May 24, 2020 Mother of Patti Collins Morgan ‘82 and Maureen Collins ‘90; aunt of Kathy Pufunt Wolf ‘69, Joan Pufunt McCarthy ‘71, Mimi Pufunt Winklevoss ‘81 and Liz Brett Pufunt ‘77 (in law); great aunt of Erin Pufunt ‘03

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alumnae news & events

Bran Harvey, May 24, 2020 Father of Nora Harvey ‘22 and Frannie Harvey ‘24; brother-in-law of Kelly Forde Moscicki ‘91 Charles F. Kane, May 26, 2020 Brother of former McAuley faculty member, Mary Ellen LaVoie; uncle of Anne LaVoie Sammons ‘78 and Jeanne LaVoie ‘80 Michael D. Fleming, May 26, 2020 Husband of Barbara Walsh Fleming ‘74; brother of Peggy Fleming Gannon ‘69 and Patricia Fleming Goler ‘70; brotherin-law of Kathlyn Walsh Carberry ‘74, Patti Murphy Fleming ‘76 and Carmie Walsh O’Leary ‘86; uncle of Morgan Fleming ‘15 Robert W. Peters, May 27, 2020 Husband of Susan Kurow Peters ‘80; brother-in-law of Nancy Kurow Flaherty ‘83; uncle of Devin Flaherty ‘16 and Tegan Flaherty ‘19

Cormac Burke, June 18, 2020 Son of Maggie Slosar Burke ‘82 and grandson of the late Maureen McCormack Slosar ‘52 Josephine Curtin, June 19, 2020 Mother-in-law of Jill DiSantis Curtin ‘89 Roseanne Amberg Jones ‘77, June 21, 2020 Sister of Christine Amberg Putlak ‘80 and Linda Amberg Helmke ‘84 Peggy Young, June 21, 2020 Mother of Kathleen Young Armstrong ‘96 Diane Cozen, June 23, 2020 Mother of Linda Cozen Cloonan ‘74

Richard J. Temple, July 16, 2020 Father of Carey Temple Harrington ‘86 and Coleen Temple Barkmeier ‘90; father-in-law of Linda Zeiler Temple ‘80; grandfather of Carey Barkmeier ‘19 and Brigid Barkmeier ‘20 Walter Nitsche Jr., July 18, 2020 Husband of the late Bonnielee Zalusky Nitsche ‘60; brother-in-law of Beverly Zalusky Hullinger ‘65 and Debra Zalusky Kelly ‘73; uncle of Caitlin Kelly Julian ‘07 and Megan Kelly Benkomeyer ‘99 Patricia T. O’Neill, July 28, 2020 Mother-in-law of Judy Roche O’Neill ‘77; grandmother of Emily Rux ‘15 Louis Meneses, August 7, 2020 Brother of Alex Meneses ‘83

AUGUST 2020

Joseph R. Koncel, May 27, 2020 Son of Mary Ellen Stalzle Koncel ‘77

Jamie Burgess Bentley ‘83, former McAuley Mothers Club board member, June 28, 2020 Mother of Tyler Bentley ‘17 and sister of Veronica Burgess ‘82

JUNE 2020

Catherine Murphy, June 29, 2020 Mother of Mary Murphy Smith ‘74

Bonnielee Zalusky Nitsche ‘60, June 5, 2020 Sister of Beverly Zalusky Hullinger ‘65 and Debra Zalusky Kelly ‘73; aunt of Caitlin Kelly Julian ‘07 and Megan Kelly Benkomeyer ‘99

Julia Hennigan, June 29, 2020 Grandmother of Jennifer Riemersma Christophersen ‘06 and Claire Riemersma ‘16

Deanne Kelly Collins ‘59, August 9, 2020 Sister of the late Gail Kelly Trudelle ‘64 and Joan Kelly ‘72

Lorraine H. Konecki, June 30, 2020 Mother-in-law of Colleen Willner Konecki ‘84; grandmother of Michelle Konecki ‘13 and Madeline Konecki ‘15

Amy Skrypkun-Castro ‘89, August 10, 2020 Sister of Meg Skrypkun ‘92; niece of Jane Skrypkun Martinez ‘72 and cousin of Jamie Skrypkun ‘89

JULY 2020

Frances Forde, August 11, 2020 Mother of Kelly Forde Moscicki ‘91; grandmother of Nora Harvey ‘22 and Frannie Harvey ‘24

Richard Marks, Sr., June 15, 2020 Father of Laurie Marks Looft ‘79, Kathie Marks Marshall ‘79 and Janie Marks Vulich ‘86 Richard Borsch, June 14, 2020 Father of Yvette Borsch Rowe ‘84 Julie McNicholas ‘84, June 17, 2020 Aunt of Elizabeth McNicholas ‘21 Monica Dunne Fudacz ‘75, June 17, 2020 Mother of Laura Fudacz ‘01; sister of Barbara Dunne Karpola ‘64, Marianne Dunne McGrath ‘66, and Stephanie Dunne Peterka ‘71; sister-in-law of Elizabeth Fudacz ‘85; aunt of Ruth Sheahan Berglind ‘83 and Claire Sheahan ‘94

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Rosemary Curran, June 17, 2020 Grandmother of Bridget Kinsella Segroves ‘97 and Katie Kinsella O’Connor ‘02

Daniel J. Shannon, July 6, 2020 Father of Maureen Shannon Forster ‘74; uncle of Kerry Shannon Byrne ‘79, Kate Shannon Boyle ‘82, Ellen Shannon Seifert ‘72, Eileen Shannon ‘77 and Erin Shannon ‘80 Jack Roche, July 12, 2020 Son of Kim Butler Roche ‘85

June Edda Kopal ‘45, August 5, 2020 Richard Lucy, Jr., August 8, 2020 Father of Mary Lucy Krikorian ‘86 and Bridget Lucy Duffy ‘87 Mary Sheedy Doyle ‘47, August 9, 2020 Sister of Betty Sheedy Nelson ‘48

Lilian Snow, August 12, 2020 Mother of faculty member Laura Snow Gawlik Kathleen Ford Payne, August 12, 2020 Mother of the late Mary Kay Payne Bangs ‘75; grandmother of Katie Bangs ‘14

alumnae news & events

Patricia Barron Gilmartin, August 13, 2020 Mother of Sheila Gilmartin Ropac ‘84 and Julie Gilmartin Hayes ‘89; mother-in-law of Carol Ashe Gilmartin ‘87; grandmother of Katie Gilmartin ‘15, Megan Gilmartin ‘17, Ellie Hayes ‘18 and Erin Gilmartin ‘20 Christine Tasciotti Nelligan ‘96, August 17, 2020 Sister of Susan Tasciotti ‘90, Sandi Tasciotti ‘91 and Cindy Tasciotti ‘93 Mary Jane Urbon, August 18, 2020 Mother-in-law of Melissa Looby Urbon ‘92; grandmother of Molly Boyd ‘21, Ellie Urbon ‘21, Emma Urbon-Newman ‘22, Bridget Boyd ‘24, Gigi Urbon ‘24 and Olivia Urbon ‘24 Kimberly Hoglund Smith, August 20, 2020 Mother of Emma Smith ‘12; sister-in-law of Ann Tobin Hoglund ‘78 and the late Lisa Murray Hoglund ‘78; aunt of Sara Hoglund ‘15 Sheila McClowry Gallagher, August 21, 2020 Sister of Kathy McClowry Hillmer ‘70, the late Maureen McClowry Mannott ‘71, Colleen McClowry Schmit ‘73 and Patty McClowry Coghlan ‘74; aunt of Margaret Coghlan ‘04

Jan Kopec, August 21, 2020 Father-in-law of faculty member Deacon Bob Cislo Sister Patricia Murphy, RSM, McAuley Life Trustee, August 19, 2020 Cousin of Anne Hinman Cullen ‘64 Abraham Wendell Bolden, Jr. August 22, 2020 Father of Cyndi Washington-Bolden ‘20

SEPTEMBER 2020 Elizabeth J. Devine, September 1, 2020 Mother of Lisa Devine Gaertner ‘85 and Mary Beth Devine Jaskierski ‘88 Mary Patricia Daly, September 2, 2020 Mother of The Honorable Noreen Daly Reilly ‘73; grandmother of Maura Reilly ‘05 and Aileen Reilly ‘10 Mary Therese Goldrick, September 2, 2020 Mother-in-law of Patti Needham Goldrick ‘73; grandmother of Faith Carey ‘18 and Erin McDermott Goldrick ‘00 (in law) Olga Marie Calderon ‘06, September 6, 2020

Ashley Van Waard, September 5, 2020 Sister of Madeline Meyer ‘14; niece of Therese O’Keefe Badali ‘88, Maureen O’Keefe Ritter ‘95, Jean Schneider O’Keefe ‘80, cousin of Katie O’Keefe Lyons ‘96, Kelly O’Keefe LasCola ‘07, Megan O’Keefe ‘11, Emily O’Keefe ‘15, Jenna Badali ‘19 and Karen Biros Cano ‘05 Joseph Farrell, September 7, 2020 Husband of Joan Trilla Farrell ‘61; father of Jodi Farrell ‘84, Magan Farrell ‘88 and Gina Farrell O’Connor ‘92; brother-in-law of Pauline Trilla May ‘58 Colleen Murphy Ryan ‘00, September 13, 2020 Daughter of Mary Ann Evans Murphy ‘74 and sister of Peggy Murphy Galey ‘97

All birth, wedding and death submissions for this issue of Inscape were due by September 15, 2020. All submissions received after September 1 will be included in the next issue. To submit an annoucement, please visit mothermcauley.org/ alumnae or email alumane@mothermcauley. org. If we have omitted any information, please contact the alumnae office at alumnae@ mothermcauley.org.

In Memoriam Sister Patricia Murphy, RSM Mother McAuley Life Trustee, Sr. Pat Murphy, RSM., passed away on August 19, 2020. Sr. Pat was honored at Celebration 2020 last February for her service to board from 2012 to 2018.

In her more than 60 years as a Sister of Mercy, Sr. Pat served in the ministries of education, administration and health care. She taught in various Catholic elementary schools in Chicago before becoming principal of Queen of Martyrs. After earning her nursing degree in 1984, she worked at Misericordia Home South and Mercy Hospital and Medical Center. She then returned as principal of Queen of Martyrs until her retirement in 1994. After that, Sr. Pat volunteered as a nurse diabetes educator with the Chicago Department of Public Health, Mercy Family Health Center and the Mercy Hospital Diabetes Treatment Center, where she led classes on diabetes self-management skills.

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alumnae news & events

McAuley Hall of Fame 2021 Inductees Our school community is excited to celebrate -whether in-person or virtually! -- the phenomenal group of women to be inducted into the McAuley Hall of Honor on Sunday, March 29. Alumnae, friends and supporters of the school are invited to join us for this inspiring day.

More details to follow soon!

McAuley Hall Established in 2013, McAuley Hall is a permanent installation at the school, serving to educate and inspire current and future students and all who visit the school.

Jeannie Doyle Cella ‘69, LCPC For twenty-nine years, Jeannie Cella channeled her passion and energy into advancing the mission of Wellness House. Opened in 1990, Wellness House, offers no-cost programs and personalized support to patients, their families, and caregivers. Jeannie joined Wellness House as an intern, and after becoming a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, she joined the staff full-time. In 2016 she was named president and chief executive officer. During her career, Wellness House grew from a 1,100 square foot facility to more than 15,000-thousand, while the number of programs increased from 20 to 510 per month.

Inductees into the Hall were chosen from more than 100 nominations.

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Melody Spann Cooper ‘82 Melody Spann Cooper is chairman of Midway Broadcasting Corporation, a best-in-class African-American owned media boutique whose properties include radio stations WVON 1690AM - the oldest Black-oriented radio station in Chicago - and WRLL 1450AM, Chicago’s Home for Hispanic Independent Broadcasters. After purchasing the company in 1999, Melody joined the elite ranks of America’s female broadcast owners. In 2019, Melody published her first book, “The Girlfriend’s Guide to Closing the Deal,” semi- autobiographical work about finding her voice in a maledominated industry.

alumnae news & events

Bernadette “Bernie” Barry Cuttone ‘68 Her strong belief in the mission and value of Catholic education set the stage for a celebrated career for Bernadette Cuttone.

Bernadette became the first lay principal of Saint Christina School in 1996. In 2005, she joined Saint Michael School in Orland Park as principal, where she served until her retirement in 2015. Under Bernadette’s leadership, enrollment at Saint Michael’s increased and a preschool program was launched. In 2013 the U.S. Department of Education recognized Saint Michael’s as a “National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence.”

1977 McAuley Championship Volleyball Team

Sister Elizabeth Pardo, IHM Sister Elizabeth Pardo currently serves as grant writer for Mother McAuley, a position she has held since 2007. She has helped to secure more than $1.5 million in funding for McAuley programs and scholarships.

Sister Elizabeth’s career as a teacher, supervisor and grade school principal spans 47 years. Most notably, in 2005, as principal of Epiphany School in the Little Village neighborhood of Chicago, she helped raise the funds necessary to prevent the school’s closing by the Archdiocese. Next year, Sister Elizabeth will celebrate 55 years with the religious order of the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

Lieutenant Ashley Shenberger-Hess ‘99 In 2012, Lieutenant Ashley ShenbergerHess was commissioned in the United States Navy. Currently, Ashley is serving as both the embedded psychologist for “Submarine Group ten” and staff psychologist for the nearly 6,000 personnel at Naval Submarine Base in Kings Bay, Georgia.

Here, she established a mental health clinic and improved retention rates with an unprecedented 95 percent “return to duty” rate. Ashley’s leadership skills and expertise have earned her commendation for her efforts in establishing programs and resources to screen and support the mental health of thousands of military personnel.

A fierce spirit of camaraderie, drive and determination proved to be the winning combination for McAuley’s 1977 volleyball team. That year, 12 players, Mary Boyle Weiler ‘78, Maryellen McPartlin McKendry ‘79, Sue Rodger Lawler ‘79, Kathleen Conway White ‘79, Sue McShane ‘78, Diane O’Donnell Walery ‘78, Anne LaVoie Sammons ‘78, Cathy Spencer Moran ‘78, Molly Murphy Devaney ‘78, Ann Connolly ‘78, Patti McLaughlin Fahey ‘79 and Rita Dorow McGinnis ‘79 under the guidance of Coach Donna Smith joined the Illinois State High School Association. The team finished the season undefeated, with a record of 32- 0, earning the school’s first State Championship title. Since that time, the McAuley volleyball program has become one of the most well-respected and awarded among Chicagoland high school sports.

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alumnae news & events

Mighty Mac Mich A Celebrated Career in Nursing Mother McAuley senior, Michaeleen “Mich” Cahill ‘67, braved the brutal snowstorm of 1967, one of the worst in Chicago history. She was determined to walk nearly three miles for an interview for acceptance into the Little Company of Mary School of Nursing program. Her Mighty Mac perseverance and passion were evident to the dean of admissions, and Mich was accepted and successfully began a career as a coronary intensive care nurse that would not only change her life, but span nearly her entire life. The Dean shared with her how she would never forget Mich because it was Mich’s tardiness to the interview that led the dean to be stranded at the hospital for three days. She challenged Mich, “Make me proud.”

Graduating with honors from the Little Company program in 1970, Mich began her dream of caring for patients at the hospital, while also becoming an amazing wife, mother and friend. She graciously attributes much of her success to an amazing crew of babysitters, which included Mary Ellen Carroll Clifford ‘84. Fast forward to 2020, Michaeleen “Mich” Cahill Fisher was set to retire as she celebrated her 50th anniversary, as a nurse, at the OSF Little Company of Mary Medical Center.

Her dedication to the hospital community, loyalty to doctors, co-workers, and her compassion for the sick was on full display as Mich chose to continue caring for patients, and stay on staff through the darkest hours of the COVID-19 pandemic. She is a true woman of Mercy and a shining example to the Mother McAuley community and the entire southside of Chicago.

Congratulations Mich on your 50th Anniversary!

Congratulations Nancy Pedersen!

Earlier this summer, former Mighty Mac Head Volleyball Coach, Nancy Pedersen was part of the inaugural group of coaches inducted into the Illinois Volleyball Coaches Hall of Fame. During her career at McAuley from 1983 through 2004, the Macs won nine state championships and made 16 state appearances. They also won 22 regional, 16 sectional and 19 conference titles. She holds a career record 748-108 through her final Mac season. In 2004, Nancy was honored as co-National Coach of the Year by PrepVolleyball.com.

1987 State Volleyball Champs

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advancement

Carey’s Corner Dear Alumnae and Friends,

Did you know that only 1.6% of Americans’ charitable giving goes toward nonprofits helping women and girls?

That is wrong and a great

Recently, we celebrated Mercy Day at Mother McAuley….September 24….every year. It’s our big day highlighting our heritage and the foundation of the Sisters of Mercy. We honor a staff member and student who exemplify the qualities of Catherine McAuley. We tell the story of a young woman, Catherine, who used her talents and her resources to start a movement of supporting women and children in mercy and love. It is the most important day of the year for our school community because we look back on where we came from and on whose shoulders we are standing.

This year, we also tied this celebration to a more deliberate day of giving. We have dipped our toe in this water before, but cautiously. We did not want to seem too bold and tie this celebration to money and fundraising but instead we suggested that if you were so inclined would you consider giving?

opportunity. You have the

Guess what? We weren’t listening to the story.

power to change this by

There was no caution or fear in Catherine McAuley when she set out to build the first House of Mercy on Baggot Street in 1827. It is part of the story - a key component!

giving to Mother McAuley.

It’s that simple. Your gift will tell our young women they matter and their future is important.

Catherine McAuley used her inheritance to start a school and home for women and children. Why would we separate that part of the story? It’s the foundation.

Financial support was the catalyst that helped her vision become a reality. Bold and daring are not flaws but wonderful attributes.

I was recently moved by this quote: “I stand on the sacrifices of a million women before me thinking what can I do to make this mountain taller so the women after me can see farther.” (Rupi Kaur) McAuley has thousands of bold and daring alumnae and supporters. We educate young women who are bold and daring and we need financial support to fuel our resources building taller mountains that allow our young women to grow and see farther.

Help us build that mountain!

Boldly,

Carey Harrington Vice President of Institutional Advancement charrington@mothermcauley.org

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school news

School News

The end of the 2019-2020 school year and the start of this current one looked different than anyone anticipated, however, our McAuley family didn’t forfeit traditions and celebrations for our Macs.

Here’s a look back at some of the people and accomplishments we celebrated in-person or virtually!

Spring Drama In early March, a cast of 70 students, a student-led costume crew, and a beautiful period set built by our crew brought to life “The WOMAN who Came to Dinner” - a twist on the beloved comedy classic “The Man Who Came to Dinner.”

Macs with Merit Congrats to our spring awardees!

Administration Upperclasswoman Advisory Board

Molly Maloney ‘20 Grace Kaplan ‘20 Devyn Petrowski ‘20 Molly Curley ‘20 Tierney Harkins ‘20 Maggie McCarthy ‘20 Jenna Badali ‘20 Amia Owolabi ‘20 Ellie Urchell ‘20 Emma Galvan ‘20 Julissa Gomez ‘20 Katie McShane ‘20 Kyli Williams ‘20 Leah James ‘20 Maeve Hartnett ‘20 Oliva Shareef ‘20 Grace Amado ‘20 Mary Horan ‘20 Mia Bruce ‘20 Anne Farrell ‘20 Natalie Heilmann ‘20 Miranda Keeter ‘20 Emma Keaty ‘20

Athletics Maddie Bonnett ‘20 Brigid Barkmeier ‘20 PE/PA Emma Funk ’21 Erin Curran ‘23 Math Holly Sanders ’20 Cecilia Conroy ‘22 Science Mia Perez ’20 Kaileigh Leahy ‘20 World Language Tina Song ’21 Nora Riordan ‘22 PE/PA Tess O’Leary ’23 Natalie McKenna ‘23 VA and Technology Leilani Diaz ’22 Grace Rowan ‘21 Social Science Haileigh Pritchard ’20 Morgan Unold ‘22

Institutional Advancement Natalie McKenna ’23 Grace Ellerbeck ‘20 Peer Ministry Abby Graeber ’20 Jackie Munoz ‘20 LRC Molly Godfrey ’22 Melanie Gutierrez ‘22 English Katarina Rios ’22 Harlyn Pickens ‘21 Student Activities Elizabeth Gildea ’20 Maddy McGrane ‘22 Theology Maeve P. Sullivan ’20 Kylie Hernandez ‘22 Counseling Gabrielle Jackson ‘20 Hannah O’Neil ‘20

Spring Sports Signing We celebrated five athletes who signed to play their respective sports at college. Congrats to these students!

Bridget Barrett basketball Carthage College

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Maggie McDonald basketball St. Ambrose University

Janie Ternes basketball Concordia University, Chicago

Caitlin Fitzsimons soccer Carroll University

Nikki Condon softball St. Norbert College

school news

eLearning - A Brave, (Somewhat) New World When the world essentially shut down this March in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, every person, every industry, was forced to pivot and adapt. McAuley has long been a pioneer for women’s education, changing to address the needs of the ever-evolving demands of the educational marketplace.

Meeting obstacles and challenges head-on is a hallmark of our legacy. Because of our faculty and staff’s commitment to ongoing professional growth (especially in technology) and their flexibility and understanding in doing what was best for our students and community, we successfully transitioned to an entire quarter of eLearning.

At the conclusion of the school year, we asked parents and students to complete a survey to better understand their eLearning experiences. In total, we received 304 parent responses and 422 student responses, and the results were overwhelmingly positive.

Gigi Navarrete ‘23 learning at home.

99.6%

of students felt prepared to transition to using the online applications or sites needed for eLearning.

98.4%

of parents felt their daughter(s) was prepared to utilize the eLearning tools during fourth quarter.

95%

of students didn’t need additional help but felt the teachers were available for additional help.

“Hybrid learning was definitely a challenge in the beginning since I did not see my teachers day-to-day, but McAuley has done a great job helping us adapt to a new way of learning. My teachers are very knowledgeable when it comes to technology and make me feel like I am in the classroom each day. Our teachers and counselors offer support either virtually or in-person. They are able to check up on us through our Google classroom

These results were critical in helping us create a fall reopening plan that adheres to the Illinois State Board of Education and the Archdiocese of Chicago Office of Catholic Schools mandates. Our current hybrid plan accommodates 50 percent of students returning to the building to ensure the health and safety of all students and faculty/staff members. The school population is separated in half by alphabetical listing – identified as the “red” group or “gold” group – to ensure social distancing in all classrooms.

Fifty percent attends school in person while the other 50 percent learns from home. Masks and social distancing are required, and although things look different, the academic rigor remains.

Even behind their masks our students are smiling!

pages or by email. I know that if I need help I can contact them and they will be there to answer my questions.”

- G i gi N ava r re te ‘ 23

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school news

Celebrating the Class of 2020 On Saturday, July 18, McAuley celebrated the more than 200 graduates of the Class of 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the ceremony, originally scheduled to be held on May 17 at the Shannon Center at Saint Xavier University, was moved to McAuley. The diploma ceremony was held in the school auditorium. Graduates were assigned a designated time to receive their diploma and were permitted to have no more than 10 family members present.

Some parts of the commencement ceremony, including remarks by the administration and student speakers, were recorded in advance and shared virtually via YouTube for families to view, including a prayer and remarks by Principal Eileen Boyce O’Reilly ‘03; the valedictorian, Alena Pedroza’s remarks; the class-selected student speaker, Allie Duffy; the introduction of the faculty speaker by salutatorian Megan Howley; remarks by Mrs. Kathy Gordon-Davis, faculty speaker; and the alumnae induction led by President Mary Acker Klingenberger ’75.

$58 million 100% 82% 5 National

Merit Commended Scholars

2 National Hispanic Scholars

5 A. Franklin

Pilchard Foundation Scholars

1 Chick Evans Scholars

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earned a record in college scholarships acceptance rate accepted into their first-choice school Brigid Barkmeier Sydney Conn Megan Howley Martina Maples Mary Russell

Alena Pedroza Rosie Wantuck

Meghan Dowd Siobhan Hickey Jacqueline Munoz Margaret O’Malley Janie Ternes

Kathryn Alvarez

13

college athletes

35

Illinois State Scholars

school news

“Surreal as it seems, we have reached a point in our lives where we are closer to adulthood than we are to childhood, and that means the time has come for us to assume our roles as the next leaders, workers, defenders, advocates, and activists of a world, which is crying out for the difference that only we can bring, because of our changing world view. This new role that we are stepping into is uncharted territory, bearing immense responsibility, and with any new endeavor, there is a guaranteed adjustment period characterized by fear, excitement, and even eagerness brought about by the prospect of change in our accustomed routines. But if we have learned anything from the past few months, it is that in times of uncertainty, we have the greatest opportunity to grow from our previous experiences in order to shape a greater future.

- A l enz a Ped roz a ‘ 2 0 , va ledictor ian , atten din g Th e Un iversity of Ch icago

Student speakers from left to right: Megan Howley, salutatorian; Alena Pedroza, valedictorian; Allie Duffy, student speaker. Back row, faculty speaker, Kathy Gordon-Davis.

“Despite the loss of these last few months, friendship has still impacted and dominated everyone’s time at McAuley. Whether those friendships were made through being locker neighbors, sitting at the same lunch table, having the same chemistry class, or just becoming friends this year because of Kairos, we can all agree that the friendships made at McAuley are like no other. These are the girls you’ve shared all of your memories with, the ones that helped you grow through the challenges and the joys, the ones who helped us become the women we are today.”

- Allie Du f f y ‘20, stu den t speaker, atten din g th e Un iverity of Iow a

“As you take leave of us today, promise yourself to be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind; to talk health, happiness and prosperity to every person you meet; to think only the best, to work only for the best, and to expect only the best; to be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own; to wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a great big smile. Promise to give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others. Promise to aspire to not just to make a ‘living’, but to make a difference!”

- Fa c u l t y s p e a ke r, M r s . K a t h y G o r d o n - D a v i s Principal Eileen O’Reilly ‘03 offers a blessing over graduates.

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school news Summer Camps!

Summer camps forged ahead this summer!

Although the offerings were limited to only current students and rising 7th and 8th graders, we were pleased that we could provide the opportunity for girls to get out and get active.

All camps adhered to the safety and health protocols set forth by the Illinois High School Association, including social distancing and wearing of masks.

September 11th Commemeration Our students joined members of the Brother Rice community for a flag ceremony to commemorate the 19th anniversary of the 9-11 attacks.

New Roles for Faculty and Staff Science faculty member, Mrs. Kim Turnbull now serves as director of curriculum and instruction. She works closely with faculty in areas related to curriculum development, instruction, and school improvement goals. She continues in her role as chair of the science department, in a non-teaching role. She also chairs the Academic Council, consisting of department chairs, with Principal, Eileen O’Reilly. Turnbull joined the McAuley faculty in 2001. She was instrumental in earning the school the distinction as an Amazon Future Engineer School in 2019.

Dean of Upperclasswomen, Mrs. Meg Griffin Gardner ‘99, adds the title of assistant principal to her role. She serves in various leadership capacities for school improvement planning and strategic endeavors. As dean of upperclasswomen, Gardner has played a significant role in increasing student connectedness while continuing to foster a culture of high expectation and engagement through the creation of the Upperclasswomen Advisory Board and other school activities. Gardner joined McAuley in 2005. She is the assistant coach for the varsity volleyball team.

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school news Homeroom Family Feud - McAuley Style While pep assemblies, large school gatherings, and lunch periods on hiatus, faculty and staff have found innovative ways to foster the school spirit and camaraderie that is one of McAuley’s hallmarks. Thanks to the work of Dean of Underclasswomen, Mrs. Jennifer Murzyn and Student Activities Coordinator, Mrs. Colleen Quinlan White ‘94, students are feeling virtually connected -- and competitive -- through Homeroom Family Feud.

on the questions and answers. Mr. Jeremy Eberhard, orchestra director, is the host and Ms. Katie McCasland ‘11, technical director, is live streaming the game show. For the first show, more than 500 people viewed the Feud online!

Homeroom Family Feud began in September and will run throughout the school year. Two homerooms compete against each other weekly during third period homeroom, with five students representing each homeroom. The competition is single elimination. The team who wins advances to the next round. The team who loses is done. At the end of the year, one homeroom will be the overall winner of the Feud and will receive a breakfast treat and will get the chance to play against the faculty/staff team!

“What I like the most about homeroom family feud is how it brings together the girls in each room, especially if we don’t know each other.”

The Feud is streamed live over McAuley’s YouTube channel. Students in the classroom and at home can watch as the homerooms battle it out. For the questions and responses, all McAuley students were surveyed in August. Examples of recent survey questions include: What do you do when you first wake up in the morning? What are things that come in pairs? Name a throwback TV show that teens love to watch. Name a food that you can eat with your hands. The top answers were recorded and Mrs. White created the game show template based

The competition has become a much-loved activity for faculty and students.

“I love seeing the students having fun and it’s open for any student to participate,” shared Mrs. Murzyn. “They are able to connect with - Ke ira Ja rre tt, 15, Eve rgre e n Pa rk one another socially in a new, enjoyable experience for them during this time when we are so limited on what we can offer. I love the competitive aspect it brings while promoting student connectedness and camaraderie with their teachers, peers and homerooms.”

“It is important that McAuley student’s experience some fun outside of their academic day,” shared Mrs. White. “McAuley’s student life and activities is a huge part of their growth and development that they are currently missing. We thought Homeroom Family Feud was a great way for them to just have some fun!”

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school news Mercy Day 2020 In commemorating Mercy Day, which recognizes September 24, 1827, the day Catherine McAuley opened the first House of Mercy – a place to shelter and educate women and girls – on Lower Baggot Street in Dublin, McAuley bestows the Catherine McAuley Award. It is presented to a senior student and faculty or staff member whose deep faith and commitment to the school inspires their co-workers, students and family members to be better stewards of Catherine McAuley Award recipients for Catherine’s vision. This Mercy Day 2020, faculty member Mrs. Lauren Dowden (left) and Colleen Rooney ’21. year’s honorees were Colleen Rooney ‘21 and faculty member, Mrs. Lauren Dowden.

The award presentation typically would occur during class gatherings in the auditorium, however, COVID restrictions required some creative thinking to mark this special occasion. With a hybrid educational in place, Mercy Day was celebrated over two days, September 22 and September 23. The award presentations were pre-recorded and students gathered in groups of 50 in specified locations within the building to watch and celebrate.

her spirited step exhibits cheerfulness; it’s impossible not to feel that when you’re with Colleen. She’s never too busy to share a happy smile, a kind, personalized greeting, or to raise her hand in volunteering to help. She is always making McAuley a better place because of her positive attitude and her willingness to do all the extras.”

Colleen shared these remarks in her acceptance speech: “As I began thinking about what to share with you all today, I came across a quote by Catherine McAuley that reads, ‘We should be shining lamps, giving light to all around us.’ This statement rings especially true today. We are currently living in a world shroud in darkness. The COVID-19 pandemic has uprooted many of our normal routines and we’ve been forced to adapt in uncharted territory... This unconventional Mercy Day is yet another testament to the strength of the McAuley community, and I have no doubt in my mind that each and every one of you will go on to do something incredible. I take so much pride in knowing that I am a part of something so special, and I am grateful to have been given the opportunity to share how much it means to me. Thank you for inspiring me to be the best version of myself that I can possibly be every single day. Thank you for bringing me closer to my mom, and for giving me the opportunity to witness all of your lamps.”

Instructional Technologist, Mrs. Lauren Dowden was honored as the faculty/staff awardee. Entering her fifth year at McAuley, Lauren has tremendously impacted McAuley by helping faculty, staff, and the student body enhance their skills and expertise in technology. In her multifaceted role, Lauren trains teachers in various instructional technologies while assisting students with their technological needs. She also teaches a self-created business course, B-Tech, that has quadrupled in popularity since she took it on.

Student honoree, Colleen Rooney has been or currently is a member of basketball, lacrosse, and cross country During her acceptance teams as well as Catherine remarks, Lauren shared this McAuley Honors Scholars, reflection: “Our students, National Honors Society, faculty, and staff strive to be National Spanish Honorlike our founder, Catherine ees Society and National McAuley, every day. You can Administration with the Catherine McAuley Award recipients for Mercy Day 2020.

English Honors Society.

Pictured from left to right are Principal, Mrs. Eileen Boyce O’Reilly ’03, Colleen hear that in conversations in Colleen is the daughter of Rooney ’21, Mrs. Lauren Dowden and President Mrs. Mary Acker Klingenberger ’75. the hallways, classrooms and the late Honorable Jeanne offices. You see it in the interactions teachers have with their Prendergast Rooney ‘88 (2018 McAuley Hall inductee) and students. The McAuley community exemplifies the virtues that granddaughter of Joan Curtin Prendergast ’64.

Catherine McAuley lived by. Her love, generosity, and service to others can be found in every aspect of the McAuley commu“It is not what she does, but how she does it that makes Colleen nity.” most like Catherine,” shared Principal Eileen Boyce O’Reilly ’03. “Her smile exudes friendliness, her eyes show kindness, and

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school news Making our Campus Future Ready While COVID may have stalled a few projects, this summer as part of our Future Ready capital campaign, our back road – sometimes referred to as the “McAuley Little 500” by alumnae and students -- received a facelift!

Thanks to a lead gift from the Bigane family - Anne ‘76, Katie ‘78, Sheila ‘79, Meg ‘82 and Julie ‘84 - and other Future Ready donors, our architects, Wight and Co. worked in partnership with Bigane Paving on the project management of this vital campus enhancement. New sewers were installed, additional parking spots were created and the road was widened.

Fall sports, go on!

Although somewhat limited, our Mighty Macs were excited to get back to the golf course, tennis courts and elsewhere with the kick off of the fall season.

Thanks to the “Beverly Review” for providing these photos.

Visit their website to become a subscriber.

Ava Courtney ‘21

Elizabeth McNicholas ‘21

Gabi Hernandez ‘21

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school news Class of 2024 Admissions Update McAuley welcomed 232 young women to the Class of 2024 this August! These young ladies are eager and ready to meet new challenges, expand their horizons and embrace the Mercy mission. Here are some fun stats about our newest class of Mighty Macs!

Lots of Legacies!

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The three most popular names are:

211,900

$

in total scholarships and this will total

583,600

$

during their four years of high school.

students have a MOTHER who graduated from McAuley

1. Sarah

(7 students)

2. Grace

(tie with 5 each)

57

Tradition of Excellence scholarship recipients

students have a GRANDMOTHER who graduated from McAuley

70

(6 students)

3. Ella, Emma & Maggie

19

The students represent: feeder schools

31

34

zip codes

have a SISTER attending McAuley

18

Agatha O’Brien Scholars (testing 95% or higher on the entrance exam)

11

Number of scholarships which equal one-half tuition

Do You Know a McAuley Girl?

Help them get started on their Lifetime Advantage as they join us for an in-person school tour or these virtual events!

In-Person Tours Virtual Shadow Days

Delivery of Scholarship Certificates to Class of 2024 In the spring, we hand-delivered certificates and small gifts to the scholarship recipients to congratulate them on their success!

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Questions?

Contact Ms. Carli Weiler, Director of Admissions & Recruitment at cweiler@mothermcauley.org

Planned Giving A planned gift to Mother McAuley indicates a commitment to the long-term success of the school and its students. These gifts help create a very strong cornerstone for the future of McAuley. Making a planned gift confers membership in the Catherine McAuley Legacy Society.

Planned gifts to McAuley can help: • further the School and its mission • ensure the future financial strength of the school beyond annual fundraising • provide future generations of students with an exceptional learning experience • create a lasting legacy for the women of tomorrow

What is planned giving?

Planned giving is the transfer of assets (e.g. IRAs, stock, life insurance, etc.) to a designated not-for-profit organization during a lifetime, or upon the death of someone. This forward-thinking approach to giving is “planned” because often these assets are not liquid, have tax consequences and are generally transferred via a will or other written means.

Plan a gift now for a lasting legacy There are ways to make a gift to Mother McAuley that pay you income for life, provide an immediate tax deduction for you, and a future charitable gift to the high school, including: BEQUESTS / WILLS OR TRUSTS IRAS AND TAX-DEFERRED ACCOUNTS

Why plan?

We know that for our donors, charitable giving is an important part of their lives.

They plan, knowing that the causes and organizations they care about today, will continue to thrive in the future. Discussing a planned gift to Mother McAuley allows you the opportunity to share with your family your hopes and dreams, values and faith. Having a clear estate plan alleviates any confusion for your family and advisors and communicates what is of enduring value to you.

GIFTS OF STOCK LIFE INSURANCE

Forms and additional information, including a list of current tax benefits, can be found at mothermcauley.org/give/plannedgiving.

“My decision to leave Mother McAuley a gift in my will was an easy one. When it came time to prepare a will, I reflected (as I expect most people do) on the people, places, events, and institutions that had made a difference in my life. The positive impact that McAuley had on my life path and on my character could not be overstated. I knew that I wanted to do what I could to give other young women the same experience and advantage, so I named McAuley as a beneficiary.”

- C a r o l M i e r n i c k i ‘ 76 , P h . D . , U . S . a n d C a n a d i a n Pa t e n t A g e n t

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Connect with us Mother McAuley Liberal Arts High School (formerly Saint Xavier Academy)

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Can you guess the year this photo was taken?

Email alumnae@mothermcauley.org by November 30 with your guess and all correct responses will be entered into a raffle for McAuley gear!

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